The Reason I Stay
by sweetmorphine187
Summary: Faith doesn't have to be in Cleveland. She could go anywhere. Then why does she stay? Now rated M for language and femslash. Don't like, don't read.Please R&R!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Buffy the Vampire Slayer related. Those go to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy, etc, etc, etc. I merely write these stories for my own pleasure. And maybe yours

Please review! And criticism is very welcome.

**Chapter One: Welcome to Cleveland**

Welcome to Cleveland. The home of the Cavaliers, the Cleveland Clinic, and the biggest goddamn Hellmouth on this side of the world.

Say what?

As I walk down one of those dark alleyways that snake in between the main streets, I'm really hating this place right now. Reminds me too much of fuckin' Boston. And of what happened to me in Boston.

Don't get me wrong or anything, the slaying is wicked awesome. Plenty of things with claws and teeth and stuff, enough so me and B don't have to fight over who gets to dust (or slay) them. But on a night like this, when the moon's too bright for the vamps to show their faces and I can hear the drunken shouting from outside the bars, it burns like hell. A really, really hot hell.

What next, Faith? You wanna turn into the next Sylvia-fuckin- Plath? Hey, tell those guys at the prison that I actually did read that fucking book. Guess it wasn't such a waste after all.

Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah, I was spilling my guts on how much I hate this place. It repels me like something worse than the bathroom after twenty teenage Slayers have already been in there. Honestly, if it wasn't for Buffy Summers, I'd be on the next Greyhound out of Cleveland.

Heheh. Guess my secret's out.

She thinks I stayed here cause G-man asked me to. Cause it annoys Red, and pisses Kennedy off. Maybe even because I like it here, that it reminds me of where I grew up in.

Bullshit.

I stayed because it'd hurt too badly not to. To not see her face every day, or feel her arm brush against mine when we're on patrol, sending little waves of electricity through me.

Faith, you're doing it again. Shut the goddam poet up already.

Maybe it's just lust, craving something, the one thing that I want and can't have. The forbidden fruit, if you will. The buzz after slaying something especially big and spiky makes me want to just grab her and fuck her against the nearest gravestone. But that would be asking for a fist in the face and her undying hatred. And to have Buffy hate me again? That would be more than I could take.

I've never wanted anything more than a good fuck. Strictly get some, get gone. No guilt, no pity, no regrets in the morning light. Because once you let yourself care, once you let a stranger through the door, it's a weakness. And I made a promise to myself a long time ago that I'd never be weak again.

So, yeah, I guess it is more than lust. Because I sorta care what she thinks, how she feels about me. To call it love would be going too far, but I'm gonna hafta wait and see how things turn out.

But if you know me, you know I'm not gonna wait long. And if you know Buffy and her inability to keep a boyfriend, I won't _have_ to wait very long till I get my chance.

**Well, there it is. Please let me know if you want me to continue this and make it into a series. Thanks!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks for the reviews! And here is Chapter Two.**

**Chapter Two: Welcome to the Hellmouth**

"I'm going to kill the fucking bastard who invented alarm clocks. No, wait, he's probably already dead. Okay, I'll get Red to bring him back to life, then kill him again by shoving an annoying, incessantly ringing alarm clock into his skull. Then I'm gonna-"

"Well, isn't Little Miss Sunshine happy this morning." Buffy looks up from the newspaper and smiles at me. I just about melt right there, into a puddle of Faith-goo right at her feet. I could just stare at her face for hours. Especially in the mornings, when the early sunlight is dancing along her hair…

Suppress the inner poet, Faith. Suppress it!

Luckily, Red saves me from myself before I can say something stupid. She's kinda gotten used to me being around, even though she doesn't like it. Smart girl.

"So, we have a new arrival today. Sixteen years old, goes by the name of Claire. From Washington, D.C. Found out about her Slayer strength when she heaved an eighteen year old through the window of their cafeteria." She stops talking and gives Buffy a look.

"Better than the one from India. The man still can't feed himself and goes into violent spasms every time he sees something larger than a puppy. Faith, are the rest of them up yet?"

"Uh, B, these are teenage girls. And it's a Saturday. They won't be up till noon." I raid the fridge for anything other than Xander's Boost Bars. Man, those are worse than shit on a stick. But after half a hundred Slayers wake up hungry, I'll be lucky to get even one of those.

"Oh, Giles went out to get groceries. I saved you some pancakes I made myself." She gets all eager and passes me a plate of blackened, misshapen lumps of…of… _something_.

"Uh, thanks." I accept the plate and stare down at it, wondering if I actually have to put one in my mouth. Buffy hands me a fork and looks at the pancakes pointedly.

"I know they're a bit burnt, but I'm sure they're still edible. Try one."

As I slowly cut off a piece and raise it to my mouth, my conscience is screaming for me not to.

_Come on, Faith. You can do this. It's all gonna be worth it in the end. _

I chew, and with some difficulty, swallow. And very nearly toss my cookies. _Holy shit._

Dear whoever's up there, why the hell do humans have to many fucking taste buds???

"They're great, B. Awesome." I try to swallow one whole and nearly choke in the process.

She beams. I smile. Cue the melting feeling. _And score one for Faith_.

"Well, anyway, we need someone to show her around the place so she can start training as soon as possible. Buffy?" For the most powerful Wicca on the planet, Red sure doesn't catch much.

"Nah, I gotta get the girls up and you know how long that takes. Faith?"

Aw, shit. Now I can't watch while Buffy gets all sweaty in the gym with the Slayers.

Ha. Bad Faith. Get your mind out of the fucking gutter.

"Yeah, I'll take care of it. See ya later, Red." I hurriedly gulp a glass of water- _ah, relief_- and sprint out the door, heading for the facility outside our window. Man, those bastards from the Council have some nicely lined pockets, I tell ya. Looks like a regular gym on the outside, but how many gyms you know have a piranha tank on the basement? Totally my idea. Hey, ya gotta have some motivation.

So yeah, this place is a fucking Slayer's heaven. Giles, Red, and Ken have been trying to contact Slayers all over the world from Red's spell and bringing them here for training. B and I are the tortut-I mean, teachers. We've gotten about a dozen newbies already, but G-man says there's gonna be more. A whole lot more. Until the dorms are built for the Slayers, they're all staying with us in the house next door. And fuck, I'm gonna hafta share B with them.

I stop throwing mice to the demon-fish and lean back in my chair, staring at the ceiling. Closing my eyes, I concentrate. There. The buzz that tells me B is close. I'd say it's a Slayer thing, but nah- it's just between me and B. I like having something personal with her, yuno?

Faith, this girl is taking over your mind.

But that's the thing, I don't mind it. I don't mind that I sound like a fucking idiot when she's around, or that I pretty much bow to her will every time she wants me to do something. Hell, she wants me to grovel, I'll grovel. Anything, as long as she's happy.

My thoughts are disturbed by the intercom.

"Faith, the new Slayer has arrived." I sigh and drag my feet off the desk.

"Be right up, G." Throwing the last of the mice into the tank and walking up the stairs to the entrance, I see the new Slayer right away. Brown hair, blue eyes, scrawny. Scared to death, looks like.

I put on my best smile and grin at her, showing lots of teeth. Her eyes nearly pop out of her head and she starts to quiver slightly. Funny, I get that reaction a lot.

"Welcome to the Hellmouth."

**Again, please review! Gives my my own motivation :)**


	3. Chapter 3

So, midterms are taking a good chunk out of my writing time, and I'm going home for Christmas break after that, so this may be my last update for a while. Though, I am shooting for a Christmas Day update as a present :) Seriously, though, if you've stuck with me this far, I appreciate it very much. Again, please review and give constructive criticism! Tell me what you likeor dislike! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you all!

Chapter 3: Night

"Okay, switch seats. Kennedy, now we're East and West."

"C'mon, Willow, this is seriously the stupidest game I've ever played. Why are we doing this anyway?"

"Because it's a time-honored tradition that we play bridge after we play Go-Fish on Saturday nights. And because Xander and Andrew need two people to partner up with." Even though I'm dozing lazily on the couch, I can almost see Ken's eyes roll.

"Speaking of partners-" Buffy grabs my arm and quickly drags me to the kitchen before I can finish.

"What the hell was that for?"

"Don't push the guy out of the closet yet, Faith. Give it time." she says, exasperated.

I peer over her shoulder and see Andrew sucking on the last juice box, staring at his cards like he wants to burn them into oblivion. With difficulty, I suppress a snicker. Too late.

Buffy notices. I grin at her as she sighs and rubs the heels of her hands against her eyes in defeat.

"C'mon, let's go. Before you burst a vein."

The night air is clean and nippy, chilly enough to make me zip up my old leather jacket. Thankfully, clouds shroud the moon tonight, so the streetlamps are the only things that light the path. Thank the gods, Cleveland has some damn good graveyards. Plenty of morgues and secret hideouts too. One of the perks of being a big city.

"So, where to today?" Damnit. My voice sounds squeaky, like it always does when I'm around B.

"I was thinking that place beside the old department store. Someone found a body there last night. And if there's one, there's bound to be others."

"Fine by me." _And the conversation well runs dry yet again. Nice going, Faith._

I don't know why this feels so fucking awkward. Usually we talk and laugh together when we're on patrol. But today she seems muted, cordoned off from the world. Even the Slayer buzz is out of whack. She's staring at her feet, looking but not seeing the road ahead of us. Something is definitely wrong. Was it me? Did I say something? Do something? I'm about to go insane from wondering when she suddenly twirls around.

"Look out!" _Fuck it!_ I duck instinctively and narrowly miss a rusty axe aimed for my neck. Sliding the stake from my jacket, I slam it into the vamp's heart, coughing as a cloud of dust surrounds us.

"Thanks, B. I owe you one."

She nods and goes back to contemplating the asphalt. I let the agonizing silence linger for a few seconds more, then I give in.

"Okay, B, something's up. What's wrong?" She jumps at the sound of my voice. When she finally looks me full on in the eyes, I can see pain reflected in her normally cheery baby blues. I wanna wrap my arms around her and kiss her forehead so badly, like Red would do, but I have to settle for putting a hand on her shoulder. Unfortunately, I accidently knock her back a few steps. _Fucking Slayer strength_. Hey, I'm not used to this comforting thing.

"S-sorry." I don't fucking believe this. The one time that Buffy actually needs me to be…non-Faithlike, I screw it up. I want to kick my own ass all over the city.

Oh, thank the gods, she's smiling. I don't really know why, but I smile back, basking in the glow of her happiness like a fucking little kid. _Faith, you are well and truly whipped._

"I'm the one who should be sorry, Faith. Just a long day, I guess. Race you to the graveyard!" She runs off before I can say anything. I grin wickedly and head after her. Hell yeah, a Slayer race; quite possibly the most high-inducing sport on the planet. The thrill of running through the darkened night, side by side with B, heightens the tingle to the point where my body is humming with it, pulsing in time to my breathing. Through the blur of trees and buildings, I can see her face from the corner of my eye. She's feeling it too, and she gives me that smile that always makes my insides turn to jelly. As the graveyard approaches, she vaults the fence one step ahead of me. _Oh, that was a low blow, B._

"I so totally let you win." Hey, I still got my pride. _Somewhat._

"Of course you did." Buffy rolls her eyes. Of course, I have to make up a comeback, because duh, I'm Faith. And just like that, we're okay again. It's so easy to talk to her, even if it's something stupid like who won a race or what kind of socks Red knits all of us for holidays. And then there's the slaying, the dusting, the panting, the sweating, and the fucking.

Okay, I was kidding about the last part.

But as the night winds down to a close and our daily (or nightly) rounds are done, we head down to the 24-hour diner that has come to expect us and proceed to clean them clear out of food.

"But see, Dawn treats me like a sister too." I say with my mouth full, ketchup dripping from my mouth to fall on the fake granite tabletop. Buffy doesn't seem to mind.

"And what do I treat her like? A water buffalo?"

"Nah. I'm just like the cool aunt or something. The one who doesn't have to take the day-by-day stress. I don't know how in hell you manage it." She just shrugs and finishes off her third burger.

"So how's your new protégé? Claire, was it?"

"Yeah, she's a fucking machine. Been here half a day, already got some of the others quaking in their shiny, glittery, fashionably disgusting boots." I make a face, though it's hard to through a mouthful of French fries.

B laughs. I LOVE that. Being able to make her laugh, even when I'm not even trying to. Talking to her about all the things that she can't talk about with the others, being myself without the tough girl persona with her. If I was a cat, I'd be purring right about now.

Faith, you just gave a whole new meaning to the term "pussy-whipped." Heh.

"What time is it?" I glance at the clock. 12:47.

"Time to head back. Promised Giles I'd get to bed before one." B stands up, throws her napkin into the mountain of dirty ones on the table, and lays the obligatory tip on the table, even though we weren't served. Hell, we usually use up about five bucks worth of ketchup and napkins every time we come here after a Slaying.

The night has gotten colder, and B shivers when the wind picks up. I slip the jacket from my shoulders and toss it over hers. I'm more than repaid when she smiles and leans in closer to me, until our hips are touching ever so gently.

_So, the hungries have been tamed. Now, about the hornies….._

We approach the house. B fishes out the key from under the doormat and we sneak back in. You can almost hear the snoring from upstairs, and I make a silent groan. No way in hell are we ever gonna get to sleep tonight.

Suddenly, I'm aware of exactly how close B is to me. In the darkness, all I can see are her eyes, drawing me in until I'm drowning in her pools of blue. She leans in slightly and my mind shortwires, the once-pleasant tingle through my body becoming an electric shock.

_Oh God, Oh dear God._

Then, with the slightest puff of a breath that makes my skin tremble, she whispers slowly in my ear.

"Thank you." Every cell in my body is vibrating, and I swear I'm about to hyperventilate.

With that, she slowly slips off my jacket and holds it out to me, which I take numbly. Then she smiles again and slowly walks up the stairs. I gaze after her long after I hear her door close with a click.

I fall back onto the couch, grinning stupidly up at the ceiling. I'm still holding the jacket in my hands, and I hold it up to my nose.

Her scent, the irresistible smell of green grass and strawberry fields in the sun, lingers on the worn leather. I breathe in as much of it as I can, trying to memorize the smell of her.

When I finally fall asleep, I've got my nose in the jacket and a smile on my face.

**P.S. If you caught the reference, message it to me and you will enter my book of awesome people :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Sooo....I lied ;) Sorry if it sucks, I kinida wrote it in a hurry. Please review! And constructive criticism is, as always, very welcome. I'll write this as long as I have the motivation to, and review definitely help. Thanks for reading, hope you enjoy!**

**Chapter 4: The Dream**

Yunno, I shoulda expected this to happen.

Shit, it always happens. Whenever things get semi-decent and I think I might actually be fucking wanted in this world, something just has to fuck things up.

After Buffy left, I had the dream again.

It's been quite a while.

But it hit me just as hard as it used to. Flashes of memories, like someone is flipping the channels in my fucking head.

My Watcher, writhing on the floor in a pool of dark blood while I'm standing there like a fucking idiot watching her die.

My mom, drunk and sitting in front of the flickering TV, cradling a bottle of JD with a tenderness that I'd never seen her have.

My fear as she hurls the bottle against the wall and it smashes into a thousand pieces.

My dad's hand as he slams me against the wall by the throat and reaches for his zipper with the other.

A knife just below my pulse, the edge carving a thin crimson line into my skin; then I hear my own whisper pierce the silence.

"You fucking piece of chicken shit."

Staring at myself in the mirror, and dropping the knife.

And it goes on and on and on.

It always ends the same way, too.

A shocked Buffy, watching my blood bubble onto her fingers as I fall from the roof. The last thing I see is her face, staring at me with no emotion in her eyes.

And, as always, I wake up screaming my disgust and my pain into the still air.

Thank God for the jacket muffling my face.

Then comes the relief.

Then comes the tears.

* * *

So now I'm in the basement, beating a punching bag with all the fucking force I can throw at it. The sweat is beginning to burn the corners of my eyes and my arms feel like someone tied lead weights on them, but I keep going. Finally, I throw one knockout punch that would have thrown someone fifty feet, knocking the bag clean of its chain and sending it flying across the room. Then I collapse.

My head's throbbing as I look up at the ceiling fan from my spot on the floor. Oh, lovely, the sun's starting to come up. I wince a bit as it hits me full on in the eyes. _Aw, shit._

The piranha are seriously eyeing me. I swear, the little buggers are never full.

"No, you're not gonna get me yet." Despite the pain, I start to laugh hysterically.

"Hello? Is someone in here?" Oh, fuck it. I stop laughing. Buffy.

I don't bother to get up as she opens the door. A gasp and three steps later, she's by my side and lifting my head up so I can stare into her sapphire eyes. Wow, she actually looks pretty worried.

"Faith! Oh God, are you okay?"

I grin lopsidedly and believe me, I'm suddenly very aware that my arm is pressing against her breasts. That alone is enough to jolt me out of my self-pitying depression. _Thank God for the hornies._

"Five-by-five, B. Though that punching bag looks in pretty bad shape to me." Damn, maybe I shouldn't have slammed it quite so hard. My knuckles are kinda raw.

"Um, I don't think that it's going to hurt anyone anymore, Faith. You're safe now." Her smile makes the entire room look lighter, and I swear that she outshines the sun.

_Yay. Welcome back, Poet Faith. _

"Yeah, looks in bad shape to me. I just came back to get some training alone before everyone else woke up." Not so discreetly, I raise a sleeve to scrub at my face. _Damned tear tracks._

I can tell she doesn't really believe me, but she doesn't push the issue.

"Yeah, I had the same agenda." She helps me get up and for a moment, her arm is still wrapped around my body. Slayer tingles, right on schedule. I lean back ever so slightly, pressing as much of my body as I can against hers.

"So, you want to, um, spar?" She pulls her arm back hurriedly, and I call myself every name under the sun. _Damnit, Faith. You just had to go and push it, didn't you?_

"Sure." I back up and get into a fighting position. She comes at me without a warning, but I'm ready. We spar carefully at first, but it always turns out to be a full on battle. Strangely enough, we're almost evenly matched. She'll get a fist in, I'll get a kick in, repeat, switch, repeat. We both have too much pride to lose and by the time we're finished, we always end up with a couple bruises and scrapes.

"Wow, th-that was in-intense." B pants, leaning over to catch her breath. I manage to get one good look before she straightens up and throws an arm on my shoulders.

I stiffen for a moment, then relax into her body. We walk back to the house to freshen up just like that, our bodies in perfect rhythm. And it's not just sexual tension that I'm feeling. While she's chattering on and on, I just nod at when I hope are the correct times to and just kinda stare at her like I'm in a daze. I'm happier than I can remember, the dream nearly flushed out of my mind. That's what it's like with Buffy. She makes me forget all the shit that's happened. She's so captivating that I'm like putty in her palm.

Nice simile, Faith. _Oh, shut the hell up, will ya?_

When a house full of Slayers wake up, you can tell from about a mile away. I end up grabbing the first edible thing on the shelf and escaping to the yard with a bottle of water. Buffy joins me, and we eat in silence for a while. It's a comfortable silence.

"So, um, Faith?"

"Yeah?"

She looks down at her hand and gently slides it over mine. I choke slightly and my breath catches.

"I- I kinda wanted to ask you something."

* * *

The next thing I know, I'm in the library, helping G-man unpack the books he got from the Council. _Okay, Faith, I know you like this girl, but this is going a bit too far_.

"Oh, thank you very much for helping me, Faith. I understand Buffy had some business she had to take care of?" He peers at me over his glasses at me with that fucking British look of his.

"Um, yeah." Secretly, I'm fuming. Oh, she better be ready for the next time I see her.

Damn, the Council has a lot of books. I sweat and strain and cough on entire non-vampire related dust. Just as I'm about to scream with frustration, Giles walks up to me.

"Well, Faith. That seems to be it. Though I must say, it's not like you to spend so much time in the library. I appreciate the help." _Dude, all I want is to get out of this fucking place._ I manage a smile and a nod, but as I'm turning my heel, G-man blows my thoughts into smithereens.

"So when are you going to tell her?"

He knows. Dear God, he knows. Whoa, Faith. Calm. It's not what you think. I want to simultaneously choke and hug the man at the same time, but instead I put on my best Faith-face and turn around.

"Tell her what?"

"Oh, don't look at me like that. You have feelings for her. For Buffy." Again, with the choking and the hugging feeling. Multiplied by a hundred.

"How the hell could you tell? Is it really that obvious?" My perfectly sculpted Boston accent is showing up again, like it always does when I get nervous. All the one liners that I could have said to blow him off disappear, to be replaced with Oh shit oh shit oh shit.

"Oh, not obvious. Just an assumption I made a bit after you got here. No respectable Slayer would ever spend the entire morning in a dusty library unpacking books. Therefore, Buffy must have convinced you to do it, therefore you must have a soft spot for her. Simple logic, really." He pulls his fucking hankie out of his jacket pocket and polishes his glasses with them, giving me a little smile.

"Shit, G-man. Are you fucking serious? You know she's gonna either beat the shit outta me or be all sympathetic. I don't feel like being beaten again to within an inch of my fucking life and I sure as hell don't want her pity. Got any advice for me?"

He winces at each cuss word that comes out of my mouth, but sets the glasses back onto the bridge of his nose. The Brit look is back again.

"Well, Faith, why are you assuming that she will, as you so quaintly call it, "beat the shit out of you" if you tell her? What if she feels the same way?"

See, G-man doesn't get it.

"Yeah. Okay. Right. I'll think about it."

Luckily, the sarcasm whistles right over his head, cuz he just smiles and bends down to pick up the book I dropped. Before he straightened up, I had gotten the hell outta there.

* * *

The rest of the day passed in a fucking blur, I tell ya. Most of it was spent avoiding B. My head was fucking whirling. I mean, if G-man can tell in like ten fucking minutes, how many hints have I dropped this past summer? Does Red know? Ken? The Slayers? Or-

Oh dear shit, no.

Does SHE know?

Thus, the avoiding.

Now I'm staring at the ceiling from a motel room, knowing that I can't face her, or any of them, until I can hold myself together. JD always helps. So does crappy Chinese food and Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2. There's always something comforting about Leatherface- he never doubts himself. After the movie's over, I stare out the window for the longest time. Night's coming on quickly. I'd go out and get a drink or go patrolling, but I really don't trust myself with words and B right now. So instead, I plug the movie back in and watch it over and over again until I fall asleep.

And of course, the dream comes. Fucking great.

And in the morning, there's no B.

* * *

"Faith! Where the hell have you been- I was worried sick!" B's yelling isn't helping the fucking hangover any, but I kinda make a pathetic little wave with the hand that's not cradling my fucking head.

"Hey, B. Sorry, I just kinda-took off like that." Yeah, I know it's a fucking lame excuse, but what can I tell her? Oh, B, I recently found out that I'm head over heels for you, sorry for the delay!

"You couldn't have just called or something? Faith, you can't just run off like that, we thought you were kidnapped or worse! What the hell were you doing?" Oh yeah, she's definitely angry. In fact, are-are those tear streaks on her face?

Suddenly, I go light headed. She cried over me. My heart is beating so loudly I swear that she can hear it. When I step closer to her, she doesn't say anything, just looks at me with a strange look on her face. When I get even closer and reach out a shaking hand to stroke her cheek, she doesn't try to turn away. That alone gives me enough courage to go on. Consequences be damned.

"B-I-I love you."

Her eyes open wide in shock and before she can say something, I lean in and cut off whatever words she was about to say with my lips.


	5. Chapter 5

So, I had a little burst of insanity and needed to write something, so here's a quick update for you. I've discovered that I write black, angsty stuff far better than sappy love scenes, so things could get dark in this chapter and future chapters. Just a quick heads up if you're not into things like that. Please review and enjoy!

**Chapter 5: Mistake**

As soon as I do it, I know it was a mistake.

I feel B gasp and she pulls away from me quickly. Call me crazy, but I swear I can feel my fucking heart break as she throws me a look of…disgust? fear? sadness? a combination of all three? As she turns and bolts from the alleyway, I spin around and slam my head into the brick building over and over again, until I can feel the blood start to trickle down my nose.

"SHIT!" I scream at the sky, making the birds on the telephone poles scatter. Damnit, this isn't happening, this can't be happening. If my head was spinning before, it's fucking nothing compared to how fucked up it is now. I messed it up, hell, just like I mess everything up. For once, my conscience and I are completely in agreement : I'm totally fucking screwed.

A normal person would probably cry their eyes out and go beg for forgiveness. Not me.

I stumble into the nearest liquor store and spend every penny I have on me for all the JD I can carry. It's gonna take a lot to dull the fierce, aching pain in the pit of my stomach. There's no way in hell I'm gonna go back to the house, so I go to the old abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of town. Yeah, its shitty, but it was a roof and four walls, plus I don't really give a damn right now.

Shit, my hands are shaking as I try to uncork the first bottle. Before I know it, the tears overflow from my eyes and then I'm hitting the wall with a fist, crying like a little baby. Fuck it, I don't fucking cry. I'm Faith, for godamn's sake! I DON'T FUCKING CRY!

All I can see is B's shocked face, burned into my memory, even when I close my eyes to shut it out. I grab my head in both hands and shake it wildly, but the image is still there. Fuck, it'll probably always be there. I grab the bottle and choke down half of it in one gulp to stop myself from screaming.

What have you done to me, B? I slide down the metal wall and sob with my head between my knees, letting the bottle slip form my hands and break on the cold concrete floor.

* * *

**Buffy POV.**

She kissed me. Faith kissed me.

She loves me.

I walk down the road, blinking, in a daze. Something tells me I should probably get back; I'm in no condition to fight a bunny right now, much less a vamp. But I keep walking. Every step I take seems to ring in my head like a church bell to the condemned.

Faith. Faith. Faith.

She said she loved me. Do-do I?

I never knew. She-she was drunk, right? She didn't mean it. Right?

No, she hadn't been drinking. But now-

I snap my head up and break into a run. I've got to find her.


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey guys, here's the next chapter! There will be an actual plot involving all the characters in the seventh chapter and beyond, so keep reading! Again, I am horrible at sappy love scenes, so if this is cheesy, I blame the writing gods. Please review, as always!**

**Chapter 6: Okay**

_It's dark. Godamit, it's dark, I can't see a fucking thing._

_Shit, where the hell am I?_

But my legs- my legs are moving of their own accord, taking me to God knows where, and I can't control them. I hear screaming. And crying. I hold a hand up to my face and it comes away wet. My hand slips over my mouth and the screaming is muffled. SHIT.

I look down at my trembling arms. Even in the darkness I can see the skin squirm and rip, until the blood bubbles to the surface. Every line, every wound, every scar seems to be on fire. And the one that hurts the worst is the jagged slash on my stomach. I grab at the wound, hoping to staunch the bleeding, but it just oozes out from under my fingers and starts to go drip, drip, on the floor.

As I look up to the sky, my eyes wide in disbelief, suddenly I'm there again. With B. Watching her tremble, holding the knife, drenched in blood from the tip to the hilt.

When she looks at me, the world slows down, until I can see everything, frame by frame, like one of those old black and white cameras.

Her hand, reaching out to me. The truck, as it's rolling down the street below. My foot, as it slips off the roof and I plunge downwards. Her face is the last thing I see.

She looks at me the way she did when I told her I loved her.

Then she's gone and I'm falling, hearing the cackling of the demons that are reaching for me, waiting for me to finally hit that low….

"Faith!"

Well, this is a new development.

"Faith! Oh, godamit, no-"

I open my eyes. And whoop de doo, look who it is.

"Hey, B-" I choke on the words as the memory of last night hits me like a rocket launcher. _Holy fuck._

I jump up, ignoring (or trying to, godamit) the pounding ache in my head and the woman who's standing beside me, staring at me. She's trying to hold me back.

"Faith, wait. Please, wait, we need to talk-"

I just grab my jacket and hobble out of there as fast as I can. I don't want to talk to her, and I sure as hell do not want her to talk to me. Shit, why can't she just let me wallow for a bit? Why the hell does she think she has to rub it in my face for?

Unfortunately, I don't get very far before I make it outside. A head swollen to the size of a basketball + bright, bright sunlight? Not a very good thing. Shit, I knew there was a reason this killed vamps. I drop like a sack of potatoes.

She's there to catch me before I hit the ground.

At first I try to break free, but she closes her eyes to my flailing and grabs me tighter.

"I'm not letting go of you, Faith."

Then I'm sobbing, wrapped in her arms, even though it makes the headache worse. Shit, I fucked up. I know I fucked up. And some part of me just knows this is goodbye, that when all this is over and she leaves, it'll be the end. But, weirdly, right now I'm perversely happy, like a drowning man desperately grateful to be clinging to a board even though he knows that eventually it'll be pulled away from him by the sea.

And she stays. I'm grateful to her for that.

When the waterworks end and I look up at her face, she's crying too. Hard.

Seeing her cry makes me start to fucking panic.

"Aw, B, shit, don't cry, please! I'm sorry, I know I fucked up, but ya know, you're supposed to be mad, not all weepy and shit. Not that you're shit, but- oh fuck, just stop crying, ok? Please-"

* * *

My words are cut off by her lips.

She tastes like cinnamon. And sugar.

I should be happy. Shit, I should be fucking amazed. But I'm still not believing I'm seeing, what my lips feel, what my tongue is tasting.

And then I stop thinking altogether.

My lips suddenly feel cold as she pulls away to look into my eyes.

I'm the first one to speak.

"B-what does this mean?" My husky drawl is choked and needy. Shit, I sound so fucking pathetic.

She waits so long before answering I almost repeat myself.

"I-I really don't know." Suddenly, I can't take it anymore.

"You don't fucking know? Bullshit, B. I fucking told you I loved you, for God's sake. You can't just fucking kiss me and then say you don't know how the hell you feel! Look, I didn't treat you like a cheap fuck so there's no way I'm gonna let you treat me like one! What the hell did you just do?"

Cue Angry Buffy.

"I can't believe you, Faith! You can't expect me to just accept the fact that you...love me in one night! It doesn't work that way, I need time!"

I take a deep breath and pinch my nose, counting to ten like my fucking anger management instructor at the prison was always preaching. Calm, Faith, calm. Fuck, this is not working. She goes right on.

"I-I can't do this right now, Faith. This- I don't know how I feel, but I know that you mean something…different to me. And I need time to, well- figure it out."

"But I mean something…different."

"Yeah, you do." There's no indecision on her face as she says it.

"So, give us some time, okay?"

I stare at my feet. Fuck, I don't know what to do. I don't know what to say.

_Faith, you are such a moron. Don't be a fucking idiot again. Come on, you coward!_

For once, I'm listening to my conscience.

"Okay then, yeah." _Oh, lovely choice of words, Faith._

She gives me a tiny smile, and just like that, I'm head over heels for her again. Her breath brushes a few strands of my hair away from my cheek as she leans towards me. Her lips stop just before they touch mine. It's my turn to make a move.

I close the distance between us and then we're kissing again, slow and gentle. I'm kissing her with more tenderness than I thought I could ever show, and it surprises her. I feel her smile against my mouth, and damned if I don't smile too, wrapping my arms around her waist and pulling her closer to me.

When one of my hands start to slip under her shirt, she breaks the kiss.

" Faith, I-I don't think I'm ready for that yet." She looks down at her shoes.

Shit, I went too far.

"Sorry, B, my bad." Hey, I've lasted almost a year, I can wait some more. Hell, I'll wait forever if I need to. This love thing is, after, all, kinda new to both of us. I've got to make sure I do everything perfectly.

"Don't be." I have to lean on her shoulder as she guides me to the door.

I hesitate for a second, then take her hand in my own. _Oh, you big softy, you._

Her smile has to be the most beautiful thing I've ever seen.

**Thanks for sticking with me this far! There will be much more angst than romance in the latter chapters, so hang in there; it's coming. Please review!**


	7. Chapter 7

**The seventh chapter is up! Thanks for all the kind reviews, I never thought I'd get to take this story this far, but we sure ain't stopping yet, people! Please enjoy!**

**Chapter 7: Fools**

_Three weeks later_

Damn, who knew airports could be so fucking loud at six in the morning?

I'm sitting on one of those horribly uncomfortable plastic chairs at the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, trying to hide a big sign with "Welcome, Slayers!" printed on it in glittery letters. Courtesy of Andrew, who also made us all these fucking little name tags. And when I tried to stuff them down his throat, Buffy gave me the take-the-sign-to-the-airport-or-I-will kick-your-ass-all-over-the-city look. So here I am, freezing said ass off at said airport, my old leather jacket covered in glitter. Seriously, that little monkey is going to catch it when I get back.

But I've got my own business to take care of too. Claire, my protégé, is leaving for Juneau today for her first field mission in the real world. I'm actually proud of her, three weeks into this and she's giving the older Slayers a run for their money. Sure, the city's big and all, but it's far from the Hellmouth and too cold for any real demon to show up, so I think she'll do well. I wave to her as she's getting on the plane. In her hurry to wave back, she trips and falls over her luggage. _Or maybe not so well._

Anyway, I'm due to pick up the three Slayers in….five minutes ago. Oh, fuck. I abandon the sign and start running through the airport. Shit, I left the slip with the flight number at the house. Luckily, it's not that hard to find them. It never really is.

"Ma'am, I don't understand what you're saying. And this map is of the entire Ohio area-" The guard's voice reaches me as I skid to a halt next to the last terminal. One of them is talking spitfire Russian (or is it Spanish?) to the guard, and the other two look like they're going to hurl. Typical, the one time I'm sent to pick up Potentials alone, none of them speak English.

"It's okay, they're with me." I say to the frustrated security guard. He throws his hands up into the air and walks away, muttering something about a pay raise. I turn back to them, eyes so wide open they look like rabbits in the headlights. They're too fucking young to look like Slayers, but hey; we need all the help we can get. And, of course, they're scared to death, not sure what to make of their new super strength or the fact that vampires are trying to kill them around every street corner. Yeah, I know the feeling. Okay, how to communicate?

One good thing about Andrew: the dude can fucking draw. So I pull out the nametags with conveniently drawn vamps on them . They take one look and follow me to G-man's car.

The hour-long drive back is silent. Knowing, that the whole communication thing isn't going to work, I let my mind flutter to B. Weird, it's doing that a lot lately. I'm turning into- hell, I _am_ a fucking pussy when it comes to her. But I know what you're thinking- and no, we haven't fucked yet. Don't get me wrong, I've had many opportunities. When we're in the graveyard after a good night and she's panting and there's a soft sheen of sweat around us both, it's all I can do not to take her right there. And I know that she won't stop me if I make the first move, because she wants me too. But I always stop. A long, slow make-out session every now and then keeps me going. Something must be fucking wrong with me because I won't just fuck her. Call me old fashioned, but I want our first time to be somewhere other than in a field of dead, dusty people, when the hornies are more in control than our hearts are. I want to take it slowly, love her gently and make her every dream come true until there's no doubt in her mind that I love her. And that she loves me.

_Faith, that was beautiful. Oh, I am so proud. _Shut the hell up.

Shit, I should write a poetry book.

We pull into the driveway of the facility and I usher them all inside. One of G-man's friends takes over from there, so I'm free to grab a shower and breakfast at the house.

I know something's wrong as soon as I step into the kitchen.

* * *

For one thing, Red's got at least five textbooks scattered on the counters, and she's muttering under her breath with this intense look on her face. Ken is rubbing her temples and apparently doing deep breathing exercises. G-man's glasses are about to go up in flames and B- B looks scared. And it takes a hell of a lot to make B scared.

As much as I want to, I can't wrap her in my arms and kiss all her worries away. Part of the agreement. Until she "figures things out", we act like we're just friends around the Scoobies.

"Hey, what's up?" I sashay in, trying to act inconspicuous and failing miserably when B gives me a tiny smile. Ken looks up briefly but the rest of them are in their own little worlds.

"Okay, not exactly what I was going for. What's going on?" I whisper in Ken's ear. Seriously, whatever shit is going on, it's freaking me out. I've never seen them this silent before.

When Ken hesitates to answer, I snap.

"What the hell is going on? Someone answer me!" I growl, startling Red and G-man from their stupor. B looks like she's about to cry, and I regret it instantly. But then-

"Faith, I'm afraid that the First may be back."

* * *

Silence. Dead, dead silence. No one can breathe, no one can say a word. I'm frozen in place, and my heart starts to beat with increasing urgency. Holy fucking shitting hell, this cannot be happening.

"What-G, that's impossible! We brang the whole of fucking Sunnyhell down on it and the fucking demon didn't- evaporate or something? What the fuck are you talking about?" My palms are starting to sweat, and I grab at the table so hard my knuckles crack in protest.

"Faith, you're about to snap the table."

"What? Oh, fuck-" Sure enough, I can see cracks already. Cursing, I spin away from the table and turn away from Red, refusing to look at anyone. Shit, shit, shit-

All sensible thought has completely abandoned me right now.

"Okay, everyone just calm down. What do we know for sure?" B's voice.

"Well, the robe you brought back looks exactly like one a Bringer would wear, minus all the emblems and insignias and stuff like that. Then there's the unusually low murder rate for the past few weeks-can't believe I didn't notice before-and the fact that the First is non-corporeal; we should have known that a bunch of falling rubble wouldn't kill it-"

I slowly turn around in time to see Ken shut Red up with a thoroughly long kiss before she starts to hyperventilate. Not that it helps. When the liplock is finally over, they're both blushing like crazy. _Oh, good, nice to see someone who isn't freaking out._ My mind, on the other hand, is still reeling.

"Shit, I can't do this- you can't do this. You cannot be fucking telling me that we lost all those Potentials and Wood and Anya for nothing-" My throat chokes me and I feel hot tears of disappointment burn my eyes. I may be shitty at loving, but I always fucking keep my word. And I told those girls, I told everyone that was gonna be in that battle that they would matter; that they wouldn't just be forgotten and recorded as another casualty in a fucking textbook. And now…

I feel B walk over and put a warm hand on my arm. The pressure is comforting, somehow, and it stops the blood pounding through my temples.

"I know, Faith, we all know. But we're not sure yet, maybe it is something different. Anyway, we all better get to research." She turns to Giles.

"Hmm? Ah, yes, research. Luckily, we have the entire library and files of the Council at our disposal, so we'll need all hands on deck. Willow and I will begin to search, and I suggest we call on Angel, Cordelia, and Xander as well to help. As for the Slayers, I think we should increase their daily training, in case this is something serious enough to warrant an army. Is that satisfactory for you two?"

"Fine by me." Anything to get this shit over and done with. B nods and squeezes my arm.

"Very well, then. Carry on." He slips his glasses on and picks up a book from the table. Ken bolts out the door. Can't blame the girl for wanting to get the hell out of there. B and I follow more slowly. When we're out of sight behind some bushes, she lays her head on my shoulder.

"You okay?"

"Yeah. Pissed off, angry, and frustrated as hell, but yeah, I'll be okay as soon as we kick some demon ass. How bout you?"

"The same." She laughs once, but then sobers up. "You know, we're not that different after all, Faith. We both lost someone important in the fight. Spike was just a welcome distraction, but I know you and Robin-" I cut her off before she can say anything else.

"B, I didn't love him, you know. There was attraction and he was an awesome dude that I'm gonna miss, but there was no spark. Nothing, nada, goose egg. Okay?"

She looks relieved and for an instant, so am I.

"Sorry. I shouldn't have doubted you." She wraps her arms around me and placed a light, chaste kiss on my lips, her hands stroking my hair. I kiss her back slowly, loving the taste of her, the feel of her body warm and soft against my own. When things start to heat up, she gently pushes me away, smiles shyly, then grabs my hand and drags me to the facility after Ken. Soon after, we're training with the other Slayers, laughing and trash-talking and shoving each other around.

I thought then that it might actually be ok. We've all gone through so many apocalypses, it's almost like a second nature to take what the Hellmouth throws us and just move on. I guess that's what we were all trying to tell ourselves, to soothe the panic that was rearing its head. After all, we had so many good guys on our side. We had the most powerful Wicca on the planet, the head of the new Watcher's Council, half a hundred Slayers, and the one weapon that even the First had feared.

And I had Buffy.

So we could fool ourselves, for a brief moment at least, that things would turn out fine. We pushed back thoughts of who might die, who might live, and what sacrifices we would have to make.

Boy, were we fucked up.


	8. Chapter 8

**Sorry for the wait, here's the next chapter! I have an itching to do another fic while I'm doing this one, to keep you guys from boredom or for when I'm having writer's block. Don't hesitate if you have any suggestions! Enjoy!**

**Chapter 8: Shock**

The next few days are chaos.

It's fuckin amazing exactly how many people we seemed to lose track of after we left Sunnydale. At first, everything's just a blur of faces and hugs and high fives, but somehow I remember everyone.

Dawn, coming back from boarding school with at least a dozen suitcases.

Xan-man, sporting sideburns and the coolest fuckin eyepatch I've ever seen.

Rona, Vi, and some other Slayers from Sunnydale, gettin off a plane from South Africa where they were keeping tabs on the last Hellmouth.

Cordelia Chase, primping her hair and pointedly ignoring Xan.

Angel, as moody and brooding as ever. When I hug him, though, he eventually smiles.

And on and on and on.

It's like a fucking family reunion.

Luckily, all the new Slayers have been rehoused in dorms at the facility, so it's not too crowded. G-man and Red have made sure that everyone has at least a little section of floor to sleep on tonight. As much as I'd like to stick around and watch Vi try to teach everyone how to rumba, duty calls. Apparently we have a special assignment tonight.

I'm not complaining, cuz now it's just me and B, walking innocently through the graveyard. At least, that's what we want the vamps to think.

"I feel like I'm in the fucking CIA. Don't you think the chest thing was overkill?" We're decked out in these really uncomfortable plates that are supposed to be bulletproof under our normal street clothes. Don't get me wrong, I love my black leather. But this is really going too far.

"It's Kevlar, Faith. Look, Willow said we have to be careful. If it's not the First, then we need to stay hidden and quiet until we know more. Just bear with me, okay?" I sigh, but I shut up.

It's a perfect night, with no wind and a shrouded moon so we're barely visible. Despite my discomfort, the adrenaline running through my body is making my toes tingle with sparks of electricity.

"Remember, we need to capture one alive. So don't beat them into a bloody pulp." I grin sheepishly (damn, she knows me too well) and link her fingers through mine, making her smile. Anybody who saw us would've thought we're just a normal couple havin a nice little stroll through a…um, graveyard. At midnight. Only we've got stakes, knives, and B's packing a tranq gun. An early Christmas present from this guy called Riley.

Suddenly, B's nails dig into my arm, making me wince. I look over at her, startled. She's so white that she could've been a corpse. I turn my attention back in front of us.

Three of them. Big, hefty, mean vamp faces. But it's their eyes that scare the hell outta me.

They're sewn shut.

And they're coming after us.

* * *

B unslings the gun from her shoulders and takes quick aim at the first one, the dart finding its mark right where his heart should be. The other two just keep coming, and I feel the Slayer buzz start to fire up my blood. _Oh, you guys are dust_. I toss my stake from hand to hand and jump on the first one as soon as he comes in reach.

It's like a smooth , deadly dance. Duck, swing, punch, kick, block. Thump! Ouch, that one hurt. Of course, my partner is a bloodsucking monster and I'm not exactly a ballroom dancer myself, but hell, I get the job done. The vamp is dust before it can get another shot in.

"Faith, behind you!" I duck and feel a whoosh as the punch passes over my head. Shit, that was close. Whirling around, I stake the bastard through the heart, grinning into his disbelieving face as he crumbles into dust. I fucking never get tired of that.

"Thanks, B. Saved my ass there." I say, walking over to where she's crouched in the dirt, studying the knocked-out vamp on the ground. I bend down too and my eyes fly wide open in shock.

"Holy shit." B swallows thickly and nods.

"We need to get this one to Giles."

* * *

"It's female?"

"It appears so, yes."G-man says, handing stack of computer paper to Red. Her fingers are going so fast on her keyboard I can't see them. Angel is sitting beside her, drumming his fingers against the table. The big guy's worried, I can tell. In fact, we all are. The Slayer tingle is going wacko.

"But none of the First's minions were female, thanks to Caleb the woman hater. And this one has-"

Xander starts to squirm in his seat, and B throws him a dirty look. Cordy looks like she's about to break out laughing.

"And this one has-well, boobs."

G-man nods absentmindedly, takes off his glasses yet again and begins to polish them. I look from face to face. The indecision is all too fucking clear.

"Well, good news, right? So this can't be the First?" Ken asks. I swear, the girl's about to wear a ditch in the hardwood if she starts to pace again.

"Hmm. Well, we can't be sure about that just yet. It could be that the First inhabited a second body after Caleb died. Could very well be a woman. But these markings…"

"What is it, Giles?" Dawn looks up from the textbook she's cradling in her lap.

"I have here a sketch of what the Bringer's robes would look like. Typically, they are black with a woven belt, but these have small hooks instead. And there's a series of small markings on the cloth, a language, maybe? Either way, I can't see the First doing something like decorating clothing; too petty for its taste."

I'm chewing it over. Yeah, these guys can't be Bringers. They didn't bother to sneak up, like they usually do. They just came charging up at us in the graveyard.

I catch B's eye and know she's thinking the same thing.

If it isn't the First, then what the hell is it?

Bong! The old grandfather clock scares the hell out of us. Oh shit, it's one in the morning.

"Well, we won't get much done tonight. I suggest everyone get some rest. We've got a big day tomorrow, lots of work to do. Go on, off you go." He gently closes Red's laptop and shoos the rest of us out off the room.

We exchange our goodnights in the hallway, then go off to our separate beds. Mine's in the guest room with three other people. I open the door and stick my head in. Oh, there is no fucking way I'm gonna fit in there. Sighing, I grab my random shit and go into the hallway. The carpet should be pretty comfortable.

Just as I'm about to drift off, the floor creaks and a door opens beside my head.

"Faith?" I tilt my head back. I'm greeted by a pair of fluffy bunny slippers.

"What are you doing in the hallway?" B whispers. None too discreet, I run my eyes up and down her body. It's amazing how good she makes an oversized T-shirt and plaid pj's look.

"No room. Anyway, I've had worse."

"You are not sleeping in the hallway where someone could step on you. Come in." She holds open the door for me, dragging my pillow out from under my head.

Her room is painted a Pepto-Bismol pink, and she has fucking stuffed animals lying all cutesy on her bed. Purple sheets. My stomach is turning as we speak. Okay, it's going to take all of my already miniscule pride to stay in this room all night.

"What?" She pouts, hands on her hips. And just like that, my resolve melts away.

"Nothing, nothing." I snicker, making myself comfortable in the chair by her desk.

"Faith, what are you doing?" Oh, shit, she's holding the comforter away from the bed.

"Um, B, are you sure about that? I'm not exactly someone you can trust in a bed. You should know that by now." I hug my knees to my chest and twirl the edge of the blanket with my fingers. It's true. I can't tell you how many times the hornies have taken over and I wake up the next morning in some random chick's place.

She glares at me, then draws a line down the bed with her finger. "Your side, my side. Try anything and I'll know about it. Now come on."

I hesitate, grin, then climb in with her. She gives me a melting smile and a quick peck on the cheek. The light clicks off and I'm staring into the darkness, listening to the sound of our breathing.

"Hey, B?"

"What, Faith?" She groans.

"Are you nervous? About this whole thing?"

She sits up and stares at me. Even in the darkness I can see her eyes, practically glowing, like a cat's.

"Faith, I've been scared out of my mind since I became a Slayer." She sinks back down and turns over, effectively ending out little conversation. Oh. I guess I should've known.

"Night, B."

"Night."

For the first time in weeks, I sleep right on through the night.

**Reviews are appreciated :) I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year! Goodbye, 2009!**


	9. Chapter 9

**The next chapter is officially up! And for those of you who read Death Note and Claymore, I have two short fics that you might want to check out :) Please? Anyway, I cannot seem to write anything other than fluff today...O_O but hopefully the self-preservation will kick in any moment now. I've thought up the plot through the ending, and I must say- its going to get dark. But please ignore what I just typed and enjoy!**

**Chapter 9: Bringer**

CRASH!

I wake up as the entire house shakes on its foundation, nearly knocking me off the bed. Grabbing the dresser to keep myself from falling, I open my mouth to yell something to B when another crash hits, making the floor tremble under us

"What the fucking hell is that?" I yell over to B. She looks just as confused as I am, throwing on a bathrobe over her pj's as she heads for the basement. Hopping to the door with a pair of sweatpants half on, I join the rush of people headed for the basement stairs. Thank God for Slayer speed. I burst through the basement door a half step after B.

The Bringer is going fucking crazy. I guess the sedative wore off during the night, cuz it sure ain't asleep anymore. G-man's trying to get it under again, but even shackled to the wall and pincushioned with darts, she's flailing like a fucking windwill, hitting her head against the wall with everything she's got. I can feel the house shaking. Damn, this thing hits hard.

"Giles, you need a hand?" B yells, two fingers stuck in her ears.

At the sound of B's voice, the Bringer turns around and hisses fiercely at us. An entire half of its head is bloody flesh, matching the crimson, dripping stain on the wall behind it. Oh gross, the thing's got a tongue at least a half foot long. It grins toothily and starts to laugh, an insane cackle that makes the hairs on the back of my head rise.

"It's too late, Slayer. She is coming. And she will lead us in the destruction of your world." Before anyone can say or do anything, the Bringer brings it's long, sharp claws up to its neck and-

Well, you can guess what happened after that.

G-man goes a sickly white and drops the tranq gun on the floor. B takes a step backwards and covers her mouth with her hand, crouching over on the ground. Not that I can blame her, cuz a trashcan would be really useful right about now.

I hear gasps as the rest of the household shows up at the door. The only one that doesn't look like they're about to hurl is Angel. Well, I guess he's seen worse than a once-Bringer who just tore its own throat out.

"Faith, will you give me a hand, please?" G-man, apparently recovered, picks up its cloth-covered feet and nods towards the head. Oh, fucking great.

Grimacing, I help him lift the thing- _damn, it's heavy_-and together we lug it to the incinerator out back. It's special, since Red put all these spells on it, and pretty damn useful when we've got to get rid of something big and smelly. Or in this case, big and bloody.

We heave it into the furnace and G turns it on. A spark and a roar later, we're watching the body go up in purple flames. Pretty cool if you ask me.

G-man leans against the side of the wall and suddenly, I notice how old he looks. These past few months have really been a big strain on the guy. He's the one that we go to if we need help, the one who has all the answers. Hell, even the most powerful Wicca on the planet goes to him for magic studies.

"Hey, G-man, you okay?" I put a hand on his shoulder, as close to comforting as I can get.

He looks up, startled. Yeah, I get that a lot.

"Oh, yes, quite all right, Faith. I just need to get my breath back." We sit together against the wall for a while, watching the flames lick up what's left of the demon.

"So, it's not the First after all, then." My voice sounds a whole lot more scared than I meant for it to be.

"No, it's not. I'm not quite sure if that is such a good thing."

"Oh, and Giles?" He looks towards me.

"Thanks. For the tip. About B." He smiles that damned sensible Watcher smile of his.

"I take it she took it well?"

"Yeah. We're workin it out." He pats my hand knowingly. And…that's it. Ya know, I really like this dude.

We fall silent. When the furnace beeps, G-man turns it off, sweeps the ashes out and away, and we head back to the house.

Its so quiet its fucking scary. Everyone has some kind of book in hand, whether it's to read it, drum their fingers on it, or, in Ken's case, use it as a plate.

I slid silently in and sit on the arm of B's chair, trying to stop breathing so loudly. G clears his throat, pulls out the ever-handy handkerchief, and begins to wipe his glasses.

"I think it's quite obvious that what we're facing is not, in fact, the First. However, the question remains as to what demonic entity it is. We should get to research as soon as possible so everyone get dressed, fed, et cetera, and we'll get started."

Joy. Sitting in a fucking library, reading about demons. Part of me wants to protest. Shit, I'm a fucking Slayer. I don't read up on em, I kill em. But the conscience wins and I grab the nearest book.

After about six hours of non-stop reading, my mind's ready to fucking explode. Shit, I can't take this anymore. B must feel the same way, cuz she mumbles something to G about Slayer metabolisms and drags me out of the dusty library and into the kitchen. I hop up on the counter, raising my eyebrows.

She opens the refrigerator and hands me a sandwich. "Chew. And make it look convincing."

Hell, she didn't need to make me do that, I'm fucking starving an hour after lunch.

"God, I just needed to get out of there. Slayers are not meant to be librarians."She sighs, taking a bite from her own sandwich. I nod my head enthusiastically, sensing that it might be rude to spew sandwich all over the floor.

_Well, would you look at that. Faith has manners. Or a healthy bout of common sense._

For a while, the only sound is chewing and the occasional cuss from Ken. Followed by the reprimand from G-man and the laugh of Cordy. It's like fucking clockwork.

I finish my sandwich in record time and watch B chew delicately on hers. My eyes follow every move of her lips, her fingers, the curve of her shoulder. Hell, I just spent six hours in bed with her asleep and didn't touch her once. You gotta cut me some slack here. She catches me staring at her and slaps me on the arm.

"What? Do I have something on my face?" She brings her hand up, and I catch it before she makes it to her lips. Her eyes widen and those lips part slightly, hitting my face with a little puff of air. Slowly, slowly, I bring my face closer to hers, giving her plenty of room and time to slap me away if she want to. But she doesn't. Taking that as a good thing, I lean in closer and press my lips to hers.

Damn, I forgot how fucking good this could feel. She tastes like peanut butter and strawberry jam, just a hint of her chapstick and underneath that the sweetness of the skin itself. Her arms snake across my waist and my hands are tangling in the heavy silk of her hair, and the only things that exist right now are her lips caressing mine and the heat, oh fuck, the heat, and it's making my head spin wildly out of control-

The next thing I hear is the door opening.

"Buffy, can I- Oh, my goddess!"

**Please click that review button! It gives me motivation :) and lots of it!**


	10. Author's Note

Hey, guys! First off, let me thank all of you from the bottom of my heart for your kind comments and reviews. It means the world to me that you enjoy what I write. Thank you!

Secondly, I have a new poll on my profile. If you want some input on how this story will progress, please go there and vote. If you have any questions, I'll be happy to answer them.

Lastly, I've been churning out these chapters with two, three days in between. Sadly, classes have started up again (gah) and I have my own personal demons (family issues) to wrestle with, so I won't be updating as frequently. Wish me luck with that. I'll finish up this next chapter and post it in the next two days at the most, but from then on it could be a week or so between updates. I really don't want to give you guys half-effort crap, so hang in there with me. Just know that I'm not ditching you out there in cyberspace if I don't update for a while. :)

Thank you for reading. Love you all !

Sweetmorphine187


	11. Chapter 10

**Well, its official; this is now an M rated story! To make up for my recent announcement that the chapters will be coming less frequently :(, here is a ridiculously long update for you! Thanks and enjoy. Also, this was my first attempt at writing a sex scene, so be gentle :)**

**Chapter 10: Love You**

"Hey, Giles, come here a second!" I whirl around to see Red's back, hunched over a dusty textbook. Her free hand is motioning a mortified Buffy over to her, but thank Christ, she hasn't looked over her shoulder yet.

When Willow turns around, we're sitting beside each other on the counter, flushed and panting slightly. Even though I could have been a load of shit right now, I'm seriously fighting the urge not to burst out laughing. B's stuffed the sandwich into her mouth like she's trying to inhale the thing.

"Yes, Willow?" G-man sticks his head out the doorway. Red shoves the textbook in his face, obviously excited. I give him a little wave and a nervous smile, hoping he doesn't notice that we're both blushing like crazy. B chokes, gags, and coughs out the lump of sandwich, hurling it into the trashcan. Thank God Red's too caught up to notice.

"Giles, Buffy, look at this! I mean, those markings, and-and the clothing, don't they look like these? It's in this strange old language that died out a millennium ago. And the patterns match almost perfectly…" She manages to hold the book still enough for him to scan it over. Great minds apparently think alike, because he's suddenly getting excited too.

"Why, yes, Willow, this is excellent! Dawn, could you see if you could translate this for us, please?" He stumbles into the library again, pushing his glasses higher on his nose like he always does when he's concentrating. A second later, Dawn's computer is fired up and the clicking of keys reaches my ears.

"So how are you two holding up?" Red turns to us, laughing when she sees the grimace on my face. A near identical copy is on B's. I raise an eyebrow at her. _Red, you have no fucking idea._

"That bad, huh? Well, I think you guys can take off. We've got it pretty much in control, and in your current state I really don't think you'll be much help." B lets out a long sigh of relief and grabs her around the waist, picking her up and twirling her around the kitchen. Red laughs and pounds B on the back until she lets her down. Then I grab B's hand and we bolt together, out of the kitchen, out of the house, out of the neighborhood.

* * *

Somehow we ended up here, pelting the ducks with crackers, dangling our feet over the bridge. It's a goddamn beautiful day, blue skies and white clouds and all that lovely shit. I hit one right on the beak with a cracker, earning me a death glare from B and an angry quack from the duck.

"C'mon, Faith, we're running out of crackers. What do you wanna do before patrol?"

Does she even have to ask? B notices my trademark smirk and punches my arm, nearly toppling me into the water as I flash my best sultry grin. _Very suave, Faith._

"None of that, you pervert. What else?" The ducks seem to agree.

I think a minute, shoving a cracker into my mouth. Then I say the first thing that comes into my mind.

"Wanna see who can eat ten hotdogs the fastest?"

B stares at me for moment, then throws her hands up in the air.

"Why not? You're paying." I snicker and stand up, dusting myself off.

"Race you to the nearest hotdog stand!"

* * *

By some freak of nature, we make it through the rest of the day before patrol without mortally wounding anyone (or ourselves). Today we only have to cover half the turf we usually do. The new Slayers have their "initiation" today, and G-man's Watcher buddies are taking over for us. Basically, they see how many vamps they can kill without getting killed (or mortally injured) themselves. The best are trained a little harder than the rest of them. Pretty simple, don'tcha think?

Anyway, we've still got a lot of ground to cover tonight, so soon after a quick dinner, we're back in the graveyard. There's freshly turned dirt on some of them, so I know we won't have to wait long. And sure enough, here comes a gang of them now. Young, inexperienced, cocky. Perfect.

As I slide my stake out of its hidden pocket, I can't keep a grin off my face. Taking a quick glance over at B, a humming buzz takes over my body, making my rock back and forth on my heels in anticipation. B's got the faintest smile on her face as we jump over the gravestone together and land on the first few.

Now that I've got no reason to hold back, to hell with the whole dance thing. I'm a fucking machine when my blood's boiling, back to back with B so the vamps can't sneak up behind us. We're so fucking coordinated after so many fights I know what she's gonna do, ducking and kicking and punching ugly vamp faces. By the time the air is choked with dust and I'm having a hard time seeing, they're gone, just piles of dust at our feet. I grin wildly at B, panting and sweating. It's like fucking ecstasy, man, the most natural drug in the world. And I'm already addicted. B's eyes are wild too, and my heart seems to beat in time to hers, drawing us closer until my hand brushes slightly against hers.

Uh oh. Danger zone. It's like the old Faith, the inner Faith, just takes hold of me and starts to control my motions. Before I know what I'm doing, I have B's wrists in my hands and I'm pinning her to the gate, staring deep into her eyes. I must have some shred of self-control left though, because for a moment we're just standing there, frozen in place, breathing ragged and heavy.

If she's shocked, she doesn't show it. She opens her eyes and looks at me with an almost feral expression, not making any move to push me away or drive an elbow into my gut. As I watch her face, mesmerized, the tip of her tongue pokes out from her lips and she licks them, as if to say, _Your move, Faith._

Hell, I'd have to be blind to ignore that.

I give her a smirk and move closer until my hips are pressing into hers, grinding slowly as she starts to move against me too. Her lips meet mine and the kiss quickly turns passionate, my tongue being well introduced to the warm, wet cavern that is her mouth. I feel her moan into me as I rock my body against her harder, pushing her back against the rough gravestone, trailing my free hand down her leg. Some part of me is still holding back, stopping me from ripping her clothes off and taking her right then and there. I press my forehead to hers, forcing myself to stop for a second.

"B-you sure you know what you're doin'?" My soft drawl comes out husky, a mix between a gasp and a whisper. B arches back and tears one hand from my grasp, running it down my back and hooking a finger through a belt loop.

"No." She whispers, right before she pulls me closer to me, crushing my mouth onto hers. It's beyond hot; its fucking sexy. I can feel the delicious heat radiating from her core, even with all her clothes still on. I nearly lose it right there, but the throbbing is still strong, and I'm aching, begging for relief. My hands find their way under her shirt, gliding gently over her sides with feather-light touches. I'm surprised that I'm being this gentle with her, but all thoughts are chased away when she slips her tongue into my mouth, fighting with mine, letting me taste her as deeply as I can.

I break away from her mouth, trailing kisses down her neck and collarbone, sucking on the skin when she groans and presses my head to her neck. I happily oblige, licking my way across the map of her neck, the beating of her pulse in perfect rhythm to my slow grinding. My thumbs slip higher up her shirt, caressing her lean, flat stomach on their way up to her breasts, teasing the hardening nipples through her bra. When I slide the material of her shirt upwards and the night air brushes gently over the pink buds, B cries out in pleasure.

"Faith," she gasps.

That one word sets me off. It's throaty, its sexy, it wants me just as much as I want her. With that, I start to thrust myself against her, feeling her legs wrap around me and driving my cloth-covered crotch as close to hers as possible, my gasps and moans mixing with hers in the cool night air. The tide builds and builds and just when I think that I'm going to burst into flames from the heat, I feel B start to come for me, with me. I grab her mouth and kiss her hard to keep her from screaming my name as my own release explodes, driving the breath from my lungs and the strength from my body.

And then it's just us again. Panting hard, staring at each other with wide eyes, sweat streaming from our bodies. Like we don't know what the hell we just did. It wasn't sex, but it sure as hell wasn't just making out either. I can't remember the last time I felt this fucking scared. Does she regret it? Do I?

"B-B?" My voice sounds like a little kid's, worried and afraid. B opens her eyes, and I see that they're full of tears. They start to carve all-too-familiar trails down her face, and I panic again.

"Shit, I'm sorry." I let her legs down and quickly move away from her, but I find that I can't. Confused, I look behind me. Her fingers are still hooked around my jeans. B smiles, and for one crazy second I think she's gone insane. Then she leans forward and touches her lips gently to mine.

It's soft. It's sweet. It's nothing like the kisses we just shared. It asks for nothing, but gives everything in return. I stiffen for a moment, then relax, trying to convey as much love as possible into that one simple act. When it ends, just as gently as it began, she takes my face in her hands and smiles at me.

"Faith-that was, that was amazing." I break into a relieved grin as I wrap her in a tight hug.

B mumbles something into my shoulder that I don't catch.

"Whadja say there, B?" I chuckle. She looks up.

"Love you." She mutters, quickly burying her face back into my leather jacket.

* * *

OH MY FUCKING GOD.

Little explosions are going off in my brain, showering me in about a hundred different fucking colors. I can't breathe, I can't breathe, I _cannot fucking breathe_. Yunno what, to hell with breathing, she loves me. B loves me. BUFFY FUCKING SUMMERS LOVES ME.

Again: OH MY FUCKING GOD.

"R-really?" I don't fucking care that I sound like a fucking idiot with this idiotic look on my face, because she's staring shyly at her feet as she nods.

"Yes." Before she can say anything else, I've caught her lips in mine and we're kissing gently again, stopping only when we need air. There's no heat this time, no need to make things hot and heavy yet. Somehow I'm perfectly content to stand here with B in my arms, telling her I love her with no words involved. I could get used to this.

We could've been there forever-hell, you hear me arguing?- if it wasn't for a long, piercing scream that tears through the air like a sharp blade slicing into butter. We break apart and take one look at each other before grabbing our weapons and running in the direction of the scream.

Because it was a teenaged girl's scream. And it was coming from the other graveyard.

* * *

"Everyone get out of the way, wounded Slayer coming through!" Xan-man yells, bearing one end of the stretcher. B's got the other end, and I'm helping one who has a broken ankle.

"What in hell happened?" I ask, trying not to jostle her too much as we head for the facility.

"Big-demon-not a-vampire. No-weapons stron-strong enough. Ambush." She pants, wincing as she hops on one leg. As soon as she's in the house safely, I go back for more of them. Most are okay, just the normal scrapes and bruises that will heal by morning. Others aren't so lucky. I quickly tie a bandage around the arm of another Slayer that's bleeding pretty badly. B runs back out and crouches near me, giving the girl some pills to swallow for the pain. When the girl closes her eyes and we cart her back inside, I manage to get hold of G-man.

"Casualty count?"

"Eight wounded, two dead. Two are in critical condition, one Watcher is dead." I grit my teeth. _Damn._

"What happened? I asked one of them, but they're not in much condition to talk." G nods and starts to mix some kind of medicine.

"Apparently a demon ambushed them, along with some of the same creatures that you caught last night. They put up a good fight and drove them away, it seems. But then, another group of creatures caught them unaware. Then you showed up and finished them off."

B walks up to us, her face stunned. I wrap an arm around her shoulders, not caring who sees us. G-man gives me a slight smile, then takes the medicine out of the kitchen. I turn back to B.

"Hey, it's not your fault. They were halfway around the city, and we did save them from the second group." She nods, as if trying to convince herself of the fact, and hugs me before tending to the shocked, shivering Slayers. I feel really sorry for them, for all of them. What a fucking messed up final exam.

With Red and Dawn at the hospital with the other girls, it's up to me, Ken, and the other experienced Slayers to go back to the graveyard. We're all really tense, waiting and ready in case something decides to spring on us. It seems abandoned, with dust galore and the bodies of six dead Bringer things. One of them catches my eye. Its robes are more patterned, less dusty and beaten up. It also has a strange scar across the mouth, like an X. If I didn't know better, I'd think it came from a cattle brand.

Ken and Rona are carrying the two dead, their faces grim and set into hard lines. Vi's got the Watcher. I drag the body of the Bringer to the truck and dump it unceremoniously into the back. Who knows, it could be really useful. We put a sheet over it and place the bodies of the two dead Slayers and Watcher on top of it gently.

When we show back up at the house, things have calmed down a bit. Most of the Slayers are asleep or trying. The phone rings. B pounces on it and talks softly to someone on the other end. When she hangs up, she turns back to the rest of us.

"That was Willow. She and Dawn are going to stay with the two in the hospital tonight. We'll have to sleep in shifts so that someone's taking care of the other wounded around the clock. I'll take first watch." G-man agrees, and the rest of us shuffle to our beds. I grab my pillow and sneak back into the living room when everyone is gone.

Seeing B there in the dark, sitting with her head in her hands breaks my heart. I sit down next to her, holding her in my arms until she relaxes into the warmth of my body. Her arms find their way around me, and we're just holding each other there in the darkness.

"Not your fault, B." I whisper, pressing my lips onto the top of her head. I know she's exhausted, but neither of us sleep. We sit there together, silent, comforting each other. I hold her and she holds me, all the way until the morning sun replaces the moon.

**Please review! Tell me what you think!**


	12. Chapter 11

**Hey, guys! Thanks for being so patient, it's very appreciated. So, Chapter 11 is here! So is Chapter 12, but I reread it and hated it intensely, so I'm going to rewrite most of it. Should be up in a day at the most, so keep checking back. Struggling with how to develop the plot a little, please be gentle with the lame poem. Reviews are also appreciated!**

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* * *

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**Chapter 11: Regret**

When a sleepy-eyed Ken stumbles in at dawn, I'm more than happy to hand the watch over to her so me and B can get some sleep. And yes, I do mean sleep. Haha.

Somehow, I feel more complete, as if part of me was missing before. It used to be Buffy and Faith, the Chosen Two, ready and willing to fight evil, baddies, and all that shit. Slayer connection, yes. Wicked hot, hell yes. But holding hands and giggling? No fuckin way. Maybe that's why I like it. Cuz now I know what I've been missing all this time. An entire part of me, an entire part of my fuckin soul wasn't even there. And it was somehow packed into a certain smiling, blonde Slayer.

Its fucking scary, man.

As I'm layin here watching her sleep from across the couch, I'm more terrified than I've ever been Slaying. Yeah, we had a fucking hot moment last night, but "relationships" oughta be more than just sex, right? I mean, she and Blondie got it on for an entire fuckin year, and still B never loved the vamp. Good thing too, cuz I was seriously about to stake the guy more than once.

I'm not the type for relationships. Hell, the closest one I've ever had was with the Mayor, and look how that one turned out. Back in those days, I had nothing to lose but my own life, and I loved it. It was easy to just care about yourself; I thought I was saving myself a lot of trouble in the future. You take care of yourself, you don't get hurt. Simple as that. But B-

Shit, she'd burst out laughin if she heard me like this. She'd tease the hell outta me, call me a pussy, and hold it over my head for days, weeks. And new Faith would let her, when I would've punched anybody else's lights out for doin' the same thing. Yep, I'm well and truly whipped. But hey, people do crazy things when they're in love.

There, I said it. Happy now?

I shift slightly, staring up at the ceiling as my eyes start to close. The buzz and the adrenaline's starting to wear off after bein awake all night, I guess. I let a smile spread over my face before I give in to the exhaustion. The world may end (again) in the next couple months, but I wouldn't be anywhere else in the universe.

* * *

I'm awakened by the smell of chloroform. It's a hospital smell, a scent that I've smelled way too many times. Pulling a face, I roll off the couch and land with a thump on the carpet, groaning as the vacuum cleaner sounds upstairs. Maybe if I don't open my eyes, I can ignore the morning. Suddenly, I feel soft hands on my shoulders and silk hair brushes across my face, making me smile even with my eyes closed.

"Didn't know you would be so forward, B." I shuffle a little, innocently snuggling up to her so the top of my head brushes along her collarbone. I can feel her presence all around me, and just sensing how close she is to me makes my head spin in crazy circles. If the Slayer buzz gets any higher, then I'm seriously going to start vibrating right here and now.

She gasps and pulls away, and I know she's blushing. Opening my eyes and sitting up so my mouth is millimeters away from her ear, I breathe out slowly, making the fine hairs curled around her ears rustle. I feel B shiver and move slightly against me. My own breathing's getting pretty fucking heavy, and I'm just about to suggest we take off to some place we can do this properly when suddenly, she jumps off of me. Sure enough, faint footsteps are coming towards us.

Damn it, why the hell do all the Scoobies have such a fucking bad sense of timing?

"Buffy, can you take over for me?" Angel steps in, his hair in a spiky mess and with the usual creased brow. He looks tense and a vein is pulsing in his temple. Oh, yeah, dude's a vamp. Being around wounded Slayers with bloody bandages probably isn't a smart idea at….almost lunchtime.

I jump up and grab the first aid kit from the coffee table, slapping him a hello on the back.

"Blood's in the fridge next door at the facility. Help yourself." B says, following after me, leaving A to bolt out the front door. I survey the wounded in the living room. G-man has a sandwich in one hand and a wet rag in the other, bathing the forehead of the girl who's mumbling in her sleep. I hand the case to him in exchange for another sandwich.

"How's it goin?" I mumble, careful not to wake anybody up.

"Quite well, actually. The two at the hospital are out of the woods, fortunately, though they won't be fighting for a while. Of the ones here, they'll all be alright." He straightens up and gulps down the rest of the sandwich with a swig of water. When he turns back to us, there's a look on his face that I know way too well. I sigh and turn around, dragging B along with me.

"Time for a meeting."

After everyone's settled into the library, I slide myself onto the couch next to Ken, afraid to breathe in case it shatters the delicate silence. G-man stands up, taking off his glasses and crossing his arms over his chest.

"Well, after last night's events I don't think I need an introduction. Do we have any ideas? Any at all?"

Dawn, perched on a stool, holds up a sheet of computer paper.

"Well, it's definitely not the First. Maybe we're making too big of a deal out of this. It could just be some demons who got a little cocky and decided to take a swing at the newbie Slayers. Buffy and Faith took care of them already, right?" She asks.

"I dunno, Dawn. They seemed pretty organized to me. And that one that I brought back looked different from the rest of 'em. Like, robes and stuff. And that weird scar thing on the mouth? Not normal." I'm almost surprised to hear the words come outta my mouth, but I'm not complainin.

Who says I'm all brawn and no brain?

"Willow's in the other room inspecting the body, but you're right; its probably something bigger. So now we're left with a dozen Slayers out of commission, a gibberish language that I can't make head or tail out of, and one very pissed off Key." Dawn throws her hands up in the air and rubs a hand over her eyes, lip curled in an angry pout. B opens her mouth, then closes it. Who can blame her for being ticked off? The worst part is the not knowing. Sure, even if it was the First, we'd think, we'd fight, we'd deal. But with this, I don't know what the hell to expect.

"Um, Giles?"Red pokes her head out from the doorway.

"You might want to see this."

"You have got to be fucking shitting me." I'm staring openmouthed at the parchment in front of me, unable to believe what I'm fucking seeing.

B takes it with a little less profanity.

"Okay, wow. Way too much info, Will, I-" She's starting to hyperventilate, so I give her a good hard thump on the back. Shit, forgot about Slayer strength. She stumbles against the table and shoots me a dirty look, but at least now she's breathing.

"Facts. Okay, I need facts. Where'd you get this?"

"It was in the pocket of the demon that Faith brought back. The special one, with the funny robes and the X across the mouth. The original was bloody and icky, so I did a spell to find out what was on there before it got bloody and icky and that's when I saw this." Red babbles, obviously freaked. Hell, who isn't freaked? Don't panic, Faith. Don't you dare panic.

Too late.

"B, that's you. And that's me. How the hell did they draw a picture of us? I mean, most of them don't know what the hell a pencil is, let alone draw with the right end of the fucking thing!" This is bad. This is really, really bad. Shit, my hands are even shaking.

"Actually, it's not pencil." G-man says, examining it carefully. He's strangely calm, and I want to grab him and shake him until he gets as spooked as the rest of us. The drawings are crude and messy, but it's pretty damn clear. Two girls, that's for sure. One of em's holding the Scythe. The other is holding…my stomach clenches at the sight. It's blurry and the smudge marks don't help any, but looking at it, it's obvious. The knife, the one that B almost killed me with, the one that used to haunt every sleeping moment that I had. Looking at it, I feel the usual hot wave of nausea swell up in me.

"What the hell is it, then?"

"Blood."

Oh, that's a hell of a lot better. If looks could kill, he'd be a smokin' pile of ash by now.

"Okay, everyone stay calm. I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation for this." B says, switching back into Slayer mode. Always cool and composed, efficient and deadly. What I guess I'm supposed to be right now.

"So, someone lived from Sunnydale." Dawn's quiet mumble echoes in the silent room.

"Looks like it." I say. "And whoever lived is controlling these guys."

After the initial shock wears off, I'm suddenly relaxed, like the calm right after (or before, fuck it) a storm. At least we have something to go on now. Lifting the delicate sheet between two of my fingers, I notice something faint written along the bottom.

"Hey, Red." She stops chewing on a fingernail and raises an eyebrow at me.

"What are these?" I show her the markings. Her brow furrows, and I swear I can hear her mind start up again, like the girl's a computer or somethin.

"I didn't notice those before..." she trails off as one hand feels around for her laptop, the other reaching for the parchment. Before I can blink again, she's typing away furiously, muttering underneath her breath. B gives me a rewarding smile, and I manage a grin. B can always get a smile outta me, even when we're in the middle of an acopalypse.

* * *

We're all milling around the library, waiting for something, anything to come up. Then Red walks back into the room, and the look on her face doesn't exactly make me relax.

"It's a prophecy."

Damn. I want to scream. I want to cry, punch a hole in the wall, scream again, then cuss someone out until I'm blue in the face. Instead, I settle for a growl and punching the table. The Powers-that-Be are in for something when I get up there.

"Red, tell me you're lying."

"No can do, Faith. That's what it is. And it's not exactly a good one either…." She shivers, handing everyone a copy of it. I bite back the remarks I really want to make and look at the sheet.

A summer beyond the closing of hell

The battle that will transcend time itself

Two mirror copies, of earth and the sun

Will fight for the fate of the hate and the love

The breathless ones wait for their share of the kill

The angels will wait for the smoke and the mill

The Slayer, the Demon, will meet in between

The rivers of red will flow into the sea

Who is to say, now, which ones will survive

And who will suffer the painful demise?

"Pleasant." Xan-man says, his voice bitter as he fiddles with his eyepatch.

"Wait, this is in English." B says, confused.

"Glad you noticed, B." I chuckle grimly, clenching my teeth a little too hard.

"Apparently they made a pretty good translation of it." Red shrugs.

"So what the heck does it mean?" Cordy says, resting her chin on the edge of the table. We all look at G. He jumps a little, then clears his throat.

"Yes, well, the two lines are rather self-explanatory; there will be a battle one year after we closed the Hellmouth. As for the two mirror copies, I have no idea."

Angel cuts in, his brooding voice only adding to the depression.

"I guess vampires are the breathless ones, then. And angels mean that someone's going to die." I could really just punch him in the face right now.

"Smoke? A mill? What's up with that?" Ken asks.

"Well, we think it means a crematorium. Like, smoke and a mill, to grind up the bones. We traced the language back to Norway and it seems like that's how they had funerals. They'd put the body in a boat, light it on fire, and set it out to sea." Red says, glancing at G-man.

"Okay, got that down. Now, onto the good part; who wrote it and how do we kill them?" Impatient, I slam the paper down on the table. I know that I'm acting recklessly, but I don't care; show me the bastard and I'm going to kill him. Or her, doesn't matter.

The silence tells me all I need to know.

I slump back into my seat. "So, you don't know who wrote it, what wrote it, or how we can kill the fucking thing."

"''Fraid not. But we've still got a lot of books to go through and the Council's database should have something on the topic." Red says, giving me an "I'm sorry" look before ducking behind another book.

It's going to be very long day.

* * *

I'm lying on the roof, watching the distant lights of the city flicker on and off. It's almost comforting. Sunnydale was never close enough so see the city lights. Deep down, I'm still a city girl, I guess. My jaw clenches slightly as my thoughts flit to Boston, but I push them outta my mind and concentrate on the stars, counting them until my vision blurs and they all start to run together.

I prop myself up on one elbow and stare at the moon, this huge yellow crescent that seems closer to the earth than usual. My eyes start to close and I doze for a little bit, the night air nipping at my nose.

Me and B didn't go on patrol today. Hell, it was hard enough trying to take care of all the wounded and research too. Way too much information to absorb. Damn, I feel like I could sleep a week.

Something cracks behind me and I whirl around, slipping the hidden stake from my pocket and rising into a crouch, ready to fight.

"Whoa, calm down, Faith. It's just me." B steps out into the moonlight, a sheepish smile on her face.

I force myself to relax, dropping my hand so it hangs limp by my side. Damn, a close call.

"Ya know, B, you came pretty near to getting a stake in your gut there." I smirk, trying to laugh it off.

"Nah, I would've stopped you, then kicked your ass." She says matter-of-factly, tucking her legs under her as she sits.

"Really."

"Yes, really." I contemplate my options, then decide to let it go. Anyway, the grin she gives me? Definitely compensation. Somehow, I've ended up with my arm around her, breathing in the sweet scent of her hair as she rests her head on my shoulder.

"Nice night tonight."

"Yeah." And it is.

I listen to her light breathing, perfectly content. When I'm helping her train the other Slayers or when we're researching, she's serious and efficient to the point of being cold. Here, with me, it's like all her walls fall away and she can be herself, laughing and joking and showing me the girly side of her. How the hell did I get so lucky? Only one thing is keeping me from letting go and enjoying this completely.

"B?"

"Hmm?"

"About last night…"

Instantly, her body freezes up. We've kinda been avoiding the topic today, cuz when I bring it up there's always something more urgent around the corner.

"What about it?" Her voice is so quiet, but it silences the chaos in my head instantly. Before I can overthink what I need to say, the words are tumbling outta my mouth like a fucking waterfall.

"Look, B, I know you said you wanted to take this slow. And I respect that. But we went really far last night and hell, if you regret it or something I'm sorry cuz I wasn't thinkin' straight."

I stop and wait. She doesn't say anything, so I go on.

"But I don't regret it. At all. If I got the chance to go back I'd do it again in a second. And you can kick my ass tomorrow morning, but I just wanted you to know." B doesn't move. I get up off the roof and slip back inside, tiptoeing across the floor to B's room. Grabbing the pillow and blanket I stashed there, I open the door and start to make myself comfortable on the hallway carpet.

Suddenly, a hand grabs me by the elbow and pulls me back into the room, shutting the door behind me.


	13. Chapter 12

**Here is the promised (revised, re-edited, and health-inspected) Chapter 12! Hardest chapter to write so far in my opinion, so please review and tell me what you think! **

**P.S. The story's far from over, keep checking back for updates!**

**WARNING: This chapter contains graphic femslash. Not your cup of tea, please don't read. Thanks.**

**Chapter 12: Fairytale**

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The next thing I know, I'm staring into B's azure eyes, dark with lust and –do I dare?-love. The familiar buzz erupts in my veins, and I let myself be pushed against the door. B's lips are so close, I can feel the arousal pouring off of her and drenching me completely. My breathing starts to quicken, and I let a small hiss escape me when I feel B's lips brush over my collarbone. This girl is fucking good.

Of course, I'm sure as hell not going to stand here and let her dominate me for long, so as soon as she reaches my chin I dip my head and capture her lips in my own, hungrily kissing her with every bit of passion I've got. I swear the room turns into a furnace after that, because her hands are sliding down my back and my own hands are tracing lazy circles on the sides of her face. When air becomes an issue, I pull back and we stare at each other in the dim moonlight, panting and foreheads bumping together.

"I'm gonna ask you again, B. You sure you know what you're doin'?" This time, I'm not going to take advantage of her confusion, of her lust. It's now or never, sink or swim.

She doesn't hesitate.

"Yes."

My heart seems to overflow at that point, as I start to kiss her again, softly, with no urgency at all. We have all night, and I've got to make sure that everything goes as planned. My body melds perfectly into hers as I wrap my arms around her waist, slipping a hand underneath the material to caress her soft skin. She moans her pleasure into my mouth, and I feel her tongue wrestling with mine for dominance, a battle neither of us wants to forfeit. Another hand slips under her shirt and then, with one smooth motion, I lift it over her head and drop it on the floor. She returns the favor, flinging away my leather jacket and quickly pulling away my red tank top.

Thank God I decided to go against wearing a bra today.

Her eyes open wide for a moment, and suddenly she looks unsure of herself. _Shit._

I kiss her again, trying to be gentle and loving, but as soon as she starts to respond, damned if the hornies don't take over. I start to guide us to the bed, stumbling over furniture and kicking away our discarded clothing. My fingers undo her bra clasp in an instant, letting it fall away to reveal two perfect breasts. When she doesn't stop me, I press her backwards until she hits the mattress, settling my body over hers.

"You okay?" I ask, my husky whisper making her tremble visibly. She nods and drags my mouth down to hers, sucking my bottom lip into her mouth and tangling her hands into my hair. We both gasp as our nipples brush together, hardening instantly. Damn. I can't believe how fucking amazing this is, being so intimate with B. A girl could get used to this.

The heat we're generating is incredible, a fire that's stoked with every kiss, every whimper and hitch of breath, every moan and every touch. My hands slide across every inch of her body, lavishing attention on the perfectly smooth, tanned skin. I lick and suck my way down her neck, loving the way she whimpers my name whenever I stray a little lower.

"Faith, I-oh, god, I-" She hisses when I blow cool air across her breasts, fondling one lovingly in my right hand. My left is making its slow way down her thigh, to where her zipper is nestled in the folds of her jeans.

"Shh, B. Relax. Let me show you how much I love you." I whisper against her ear. Inwardly, I'm terrified. This'll be a first for both of us tonight. I've never made love to anyone before, and I'm not sure I know how. Yeah, I'm great for a roll in the sack, but I'm always gone by morning. A part of me is wondering what's going to happen tomorrow, when the hornies are satisfied and we're both left bare in the morning light.

B must sense what's happenin' in my head, cuz she opens her eyes and turns to look at me, lifting one hand to sweep away the stray strands of brown hair.

"I love you too, Faith." That was the moment I realized exactly how much I wanted her, how much I needed her. If soulmates exist, we'd be exhibits A and B. Or, really, F and B. Haha.

Lame jokes aside, I knew then that I couldn't live without her in my life. But, you know me and words. Not exactly the greatest wordsmith around.

So I've got to show her what I mean.

I give her the most loving look that I can, and resume my attention on her pink nipples, sucking one into my mouth. Grazing my teeth over it, I'm rewarded when B moans, pressing my head closer to her chest. I shift to the other one, gently caressing the nipple with the flat of my tongue and feeling it harden even more in my mouth. Hell, she's not the only one turned on; my own center is pulsing hard with delicious agony, letting its tears soak into my pants.

Did I mention that I'm not exactly wearing underwear either?

Before I can suggest that we rid ourselves of the annoying clothing, B surprises me. Her fingers release their hold on my hair and she pulls me up beside her, engulfing my mouth in her warm, wet one as her hands slowly slip down my back to my ass, giving it the tiniest squeeze before sliding around to my front. I jump a little, then flash a smirk. Damn, she really it asking for it.

I wiggle out of the confining leather pants and fling them across the room. When I turn back around, I see B staring at me, in all my naked glory.

"Like what you see?" I smirk.

"You're beautiful." She says, wonder in her voice. Cue the wonderful melting feeling. If I wasn't head over heels for her already, I definitely am now. I reach over for her with one hand, helping her out of her jeans before kissing her again, feeling every inch of her skin pressed against my body.

Well, almost every inch.

My fingers hover at the edge of her panties, so close that I can feel the raw arousal coming from her. I'm afraid to push her too far, so for now, the panties are staying on. Every time I push my body against hers, trying to get relief for both of us, she gets a little wetter, and damn, its fucking hot. She groans and mumbles something against my mouth, so I pull away for a second to figure out what she's saying.

"What, B?" I gasp out, scraping my fingernails across her back to keep myself from bucking off the bed.

"Faith-please-"

"B?"

"Touch me, Faith-please." I can hardly believe what I'm hearing, but I take one look into B's eyes and I know she's ready. They're still dark with lust, but yep, there's definitely love there. Shit, I don't even care that I'm being a total sap right now, I love B too much.

I give her the softest, sweetest kiss I've ever given anyone, not trusting my mouth to form the right words. Then I reach down and slip her panties off, tossing 'em away from the bed.

I slip one finger down between B's delicate folds, letting the wetness coat it completely. _Oh, dear God._ We groan together, bodies squirming, trying to get closer, impossibly closer. Being careful not to hurt her, I let another finger enter her, nearly losing it when she clenches around them, digging her fingernails into my shoulders. God, the heat is absolutely fucking amazing.

"You ready, B?" I ask, knowing this is a pretty fucking big step for her. All she can do is nod, her eyes closed in ecstasy. She's giving herself to me, trusting me not to disappoint her, not to hurt her. And I'll be damned if I'm not about to give myself to her too.

I slowly push my fingers in and out of her center, gently stroking small circles over her clit. She arches off the bed, crying out my name when I start to thrust harder, grinding my upper body against hers. I muffle her with a deep kiss, all rational thought gone. My entire body is buzzing, electrified by the feel of being inside B, and I swear that I'm going to pass out soon.

"B-I'm gonna come." I gasp into her ear.

"W-with me, Faith." Her body is writhing and I know that it won't be long before her release comes too. When I can't hold back anymore, I hiss,

"Love you, B," and curl my fingers inside her, feeling her wet walls start to contract around them. We ride it out together, muffling our cries into the sheets, shuddering as waves and waves of bliss flow through us. Holy shit, this is mind-blowing.

By the time we're spent, I've collapsed beside her, too exhausted to speak. Withdrawing my hand from her with a wet plop, I surrender to the cotton sheets. Damn, I don't think I've ever come that hard in my entire life. When some energy returns to me, I turn my head to look over at B.

Her eyes are still closed, and for a second I think she's fallen asleep.

Then they open. She looks at me and she smiles.

Shit, I've already rambled on and on about how beautiful her smile is, but this one outshines 'em all.

We don't talk. What could we say?

Instead, she snuggles up to me and I let her, throwing the sheets around us and wrapping her tightly in my arms. Soon she really does fall asleep.

I hate fairytales. Shit like that makes me laugh. But being here, being in heaven right now, and havin' this kind of happy ending? Well, I'm laughin' for a different reason.

**Please review!**


	14. Chapter 13

**Well, its been quite a while, hasn't it? My uncle OD'ed and passed Tuesday, and I'll be heading back for the service tomorrow. I didn't know him all that well, so it's not particulary saddening, but it still sent me into a pretty deep depression for the last couple days. Then , of course, I started writing fluff to help me cheer up, which evolved into this silly little chapter. Then I realized it has no purpose at all, not even to further the plot, so then I added the last bit to make everything relevant.**

**Enjoy the ridiculous fluffyness while you can, because things are going to get dark very soon. (I know, I keep saying that, but when will it happen?) Patience, young grasshopper.**

**Are the Fuffy bits starting to sound cliched to you guys? Or is it just me? Ah well, back to the drawing board. Or, um, the laptop.**

**Oh, if you catch the reference (its a book/author, btw) you are simply a container to hold awesome :)**

**One last thing: I lost all track of timing in the story, so we're going to say its about early December. Thank you all and please review!**

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**Chapter 13: New**

I have a brief moment of panic when I wake up the next morning. I don't have a fucking clue where the hell I am and- holy fuck, are these purple sheets?!

Then B mumbles something and I freeze, realizing that a) I'm naked and b) she's naked and c) she's still asleep in my arms, her face pressed up against my shoulder.

My first impulse is to run. Jump outta that bed and hightail it to the nearest bathroom, where I can find some clothes and hopefully get as far away from a pissed off B as possible. But then I remember everything (and yeah, I mean everything) that happened last night, and holy shit, what a relief. I very nearly laugh out loud in happiness, but rein it in just in time.

Did you hear that? Faith is happy.

Hell, she's beautiful even in the mornings, with her hair in a wild tangle and the sun streaming through the curtains onto her face. I trace my fingertips down her jawline, smiling when she stirs a bit and shifts closer to me. Damn, this is about near perfect.

As much as I'd like to just watch her sleep, the arm that's stuck under her body is going to have to be amputated soon if I don't get some blood flow back into it.

"B?" I whisper, trailing feather-light kisses across her forehead and cheek. I swear I saw the corners of her lips turn up a bit, but it musta been a trick of the light. So I kiss her a little harder, letting my lips linger for a few moments on her sweet skin. At this rate, I'm beginnin to hope she doesn't wake up.

"Hey, B?" I say, directly into her ear. Damn, I didn't think she got that tired from last night. I mean, I didn't even get to do half of what I wanted to do to her. Seriously, I have a fucking list made up already. Haha.

Still, this is pretty damn good. I kiss my way around to her ear, sucking gently on the soft curve. The sheets muffle a lot of sound, but I still catch B's sigh of appreciation.

"You little faker, you." I mutter into her hair, smiling. She laughs and turns sideways, catching my lips in a slow, soft kiss. Now that's the best good morning I've ever gotten, hands down.

"Hi, you." She mumbles, rubbing her eyes and yawning. I stroke away a few strands of her hair with my newly freed arm, giving her a roguish grin.

"Morning, B. How was your night?" Man, I forgot how red she gets when she blushes. B makes a noise halfway between a gasp and a squeal and punches me hard on my recovering arm.

"Ow! That hurt!" As if. Cradling it with my other hand, I shoot her a fake glare and turn my back on her. Before long though, I feel two hands slide over my back and arm, and a chin rest on my shoulder.

"Now who's faking?" She giggles, and damned if I can't help but laugh too. Leaning in for another kiss, I let a little sigh escape my lips. Hey, this isn't so bad after all. What the hell was I-

BRINGGGG!

Brings me right back to my rant a few weeks ago about alarm clocks. Serioiusly, I'm resistin the urge to hurl the fucker right through the window and be done with it. I break away from B just long enough to smash it against the dresser. Oh, shit, something definitely broke there. Too bad.

"C'mon, Faith, we gotta get up before someone sees us." She mumbles, only halfheartedly tryin to push me away. Well, she's kinda outta luck there, cuz I roll us over and start kissing her again, pinning her under my body so she can't move. And by the way she's making those little sounds in the back of her throat, I don't think she wants to.

"That's cheating." She gasps, with the most hilarious pout on her face.

"You know me, B. Since when did I ever play by the rules?" I smirk, ducking down to nibble at her neck. Her fingers run through my hair as she sighs, smoothing out the little tangles.

Just as I'm about to make a comment, the door down the hall slams and the familiar whirring of an electric toothbrush fills the air. Aw, shit.

B must feel disappointed too, cuz she runs a hand down my back and whispers in my ear.

"To be continued?" I strain to kiss her some more, but she just taps a finger against my lips and sits up to get dressed. Already there's the early morning chorus of Cordy's mumbled cussing of the alarm clock. You know, me and her could get along really well.

"Ya know I'm gonna hold you to that, right?" I grin. My eyes travel up and down her body, undressing her of the T-shirt and panties she has on. She notices that I'm staring and blushes again, tugging on a pair of sweatpants.

"I was kinda hoping you would." She laughs, throwing a sock at me. I grab the nearest clean clothes and hop into them, hoping that they don't have hearts or flowers or…..bunnies on them.

Why doesn't the fucking floor ever swallow you up when you need it to?

"You have got to be shitting- really, B??" I say, pulling it away from my skin like it's gonna give me a fucking disease or somethin.

"Anya said the same thing." Suddenly the mood's shifted and it seems like it's months ago, when I met her again in the graveyard. That was probably the most nerve –wrasking day of my life, I tell ya. I'm not fucking kidding, either. Seeing B again, after all that happened before I left? I wouldn't live that night over again, not for a million bucks.

"You know, I never knew Anya too well. What was she like? Other than the bunnies, I mean." Just like the shrink at the prison said: You need to talk about it, Faith. Don't hold it all inside.

"She was- crazy, annoying, hilarious, a miser, the love of Xander's life- and a great friend, too." She says, smiling sadly with a kinda faraway look in her eyes. I reach over and pull her into my arms, burying my nose into her hair. B rests her head on my shoulder.

Ya know, I need to send the lady some flowers. And a big fat thank you card.

"Are you freaked? About the ambush, the drawing-"

"No!" She yells, too quickly. I pull back and raise an eyebrow. She sighs.

"Fine. Okay, yeah, I'm a little freaked. I-I don't want to lose anyone again, Faith. I lost too many people back in Sunnydale, I mean-my mom, Tara, Kendra, Anya, Amanda, all those Potentials, Wood-" Her voice is starting to sound panicked, so I quickly shush her by touching my lips to hers. The kiss is gentle and slow, and these fucking silly little romantic thoughts are invading my brain. Begone, all of you.

"You need to stop doing that." B mutters when we run out of air.

I swear, I was about to say something either naughty or witty or poetic right there, but at that second I happen to look out the window behind B.

Before she can blink, I've torn myself away and ran up to the window, my face pressed up against the glass.

"Hey, its snowing! Hey, B, everybody! Look outside!"

And sure enough, the ground's blanketed with a smooth, perfect layer of snow, and more is still comin' down.

See, Sunnydale wasn't near cold enough to have the white stuff. And no, not that white stuff, there was plenty of that happenin'.

Heh.

No, fuck that. I'm not proud of it anymore. From now, I'm gonna stick by B, and B only. I tear my gaze away from the snow long enough to pull her to me so she can see too. And then it really is perfect.

But back to the snow.

It musta came down pretty fuckin' hard, cuz it's at least a foot deep. Shit, but I'm excited. I've never seen this much snow since Boston, and it's the one thing I miss about the place. After all the fire and burnin' and all that shit in Cali, snow is more than welcome.

I bolt out of the room with my duster, whooping as I slide down the banister to the living room. Hell, the acopalypse can wait. Whoever we're up against, who can stand against two hundred Slayers with fuckin' snowballs?

"Wait, Faith! You know, we still have to go over to the facility, right?" I cringe and turn around, still edgin' towards the door. B's standing with her hands on her hips, glaring at me from the top of the stairs.

"Aw, c'mon, B! I-"

Before I can finish, I'm barreled over by Ken, who's hefting a terrified Red in her arms.

"I have the guinea pig!" She screams, tossing Red (thank the Powers, feet first) into the snow bank. When we don't hear a clunk or something, she jumps in after her, laughing hysterically.

"Did you just call me a pig?" Red sputters when she gets up, her teeth already chattering.

"Only figuratively, Will." Ken grins, taking advantage of the moment to run before an angry Wicca goes after her with a double handful of snow.

I look up and notice Dawn, with her mouth wide open, hanging out the window along with everyone else that just woke up. Andrew's got his video camera in hand and yep, it's on.

"See, B? We've got an audience now, can't disappoint em'!" I run over, pick her up and run outdoors with her shrieks in my ears, promptly trip over a rock, and land face-first into the same snow bank that Ken's now getting her face washed in.

Oh, it's going to be a great day.

* * *

Something slams against the wall of the cave, the sound reverberating through the empty space.

"Curses! The messenger was caught, are you sure of this?"

"Yes, Milady, he was. The drawing is in their hands now."

The bloodcurdling scream that follows is cut off abruptly by a swift flash of metal. A match flickers and flares to life, illuminating a dank, airless dungeon. A tall, cloaked figure kicks another heap of cloth slumped on the floor.

"Get this scum out of my sight!" Two hunched demons scurry forward and drag it away, eyeing the glistening knife still clenched in her hand. Thick blue blood oozes down the steel to drip onto the stone floor.

"Useless, all of you. Looks like I have to do it all myself." She mutters. The ocean of Bringers parts like the Red Sea as she stalks towards the tunnel along one end of the wall. They follow in a line behind her, completely silent save for the occasional swish of cloth.

Then, a light far up ahead. A grin as white as the freshly fallen snow glimmers on the woman's face, and she breaks into a run, motioning the demons to stop where they are.

She skids to a halt just before reaching the light, stretching out a hand to the whirling, shimmering portal before her.

Suddenly, it darkens and starts to rotate even faster, the magical hum crackling and sparking in the air as a powerful wind tosses her hair back. The grin on her face stretches wider, and she starts to laugh, a hideous cackle that makes the very walls tremble.

With one final, burning flash, the portal stops and an ominous darkness descends.

The grin is gone, but it's replaced by an equally chilling smirk.

"Well, took you long enough to get here."

"We needed the first snow as part of the ritual."

"Of course, of course. Blast that Slayer! If she hadn't defeated the First, we wouldn't have assume these degrading human forms."

"Patience, darling. Now that everything's in place. It's only a matter of time now. And in a way, things worked out better than we could have ever imagined. We've waited for a millennium, we can wait a few more months. Good things come to those who wait, my dear. Or should I say, my dear Faith?"

She steps forward and her long blonde hair swings into view, framing a beautiful face and brilliant blue eyes that Sinatra would've cried over.

The other woman chuckles and pushes back her hood, letting her own dark chestnut hair fall freely to her shoulders. "Faith" reaches up and grabs the back of the woman's head, crushing their lips together so hard that the blonde's nipping teeth score a gash in the glistening, full lips. A thin trickle of black blood escapes from the cut, sliding smoothly down the tanned skin.

"You can call me anything you want, B." The accent is perfect, right down to the harsh rasp of lust in her voice. "B" smiles wickedly and kisses her again, a tongue slipping out to lap up the blood.

They walk together back down the tunnels, their bodies intertwining like two sinuous snakes, back into the darkness.

**Please review! I've been getting hundreds of hits (which I can't thank you enough for) but I live and breathe reviews :) All feedback, good or bad, is welcome!**


	15. Chapter 14

**Holy crap, it's been almost two weeks. O_O Sigh.**

**What can I say? I've kinda lost my motivation. I don't know how many more chapters this is gonna last, but I'm seriously ready to get this over and done with.**

**Ok, just kidding. It's like my firstborn: I can't give it up no matter what. So don't worry, I'll wring every drop out of it as I can :)**

**This chapter....is mostly filler, I guess. It's not my best, it's not my worst. Well, maybe it is.**

**I hate to be a needy author who asks for suggestions, but lets face it: I'm really not enjoying writing it anymore. So please, if you have an idea (NOT related to this story, just another kind of side project I can work on when I'm at a standstill with this) it would be greatly appreciated.**

**Yeah, I know I'm kinda being a whiny bitch, but I need my drive back. SO PLEASE, PLEASE REVIEW AND LEAVE SUGGESTIONS!**

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**Chapter 14: Fear**

"C'mon, Faith, you can go faster than that."

"Ya know, B, I could just toss you into that snowbank over there. But nooo, I'm being considerate and thoughtful and-and why the hell am I doin' this anyway?"

"Oh, quit complaining. I'm helping you get buff."

I turn my head and give her a wicked little grin. I've been getting good at those lately.

"I was kinda under the impression that I already had you, B." She starts to move and stops, like she's debatin' whether to kick me in the ribs or hug me around the neck.

"Why does that sound dirty to me?" She asks, her eyebrows scrunched together.

"Hey, I was talkin about having your heart. What other meanin' would there be?" I smile angelically and mimic a halo around my head, even though it's kinda hard to do with both arms wrapped under B's legs. Yep. I, Faith, have been reduced to a fuckin' packhorse. Still, I wonder if I can slide my hands a bit more behind me and up her thighs….

Ha.

Hey, can you blame me? We haven't gone Slaying for two months, with all the snow and ice and shit lately. And even today, when the temperature's finally in the forties, there's not a single vamp in sight. The fuckers musta starved to death, I guess. B's voice wakes me from my thoughts.

"Aww, that's sweet, Faith. What's next? A love poem?"

I can almost see the grin she must have on her face.

"No fucking way in hell!"

"Well, you did act all gooey on Christmas Eve. Care to explain that?"

"Hey, that was the punch talkin', not me. Who spiked the damn stuff with Xan's fuckin' vodka anyway?"

"You're changing the subject, Faith." She says, twirling a strand of my hair around her finger and talking in this singsongy voice.

"Nope, B, I'm not fallin for it." I do the best version of Red's resolve face that I can. There is no fuckin' way I'm letting her talk me into this one.

Then her warm breath glides across my ear and I let out a mental groan. Screw Slaying. If we don't get a vamp in five minutes, I'm calling it quits and going back to B's bedroom.

"Vamp at two o'clock."

Just my luck.

Instantly, we're all business. I feel B drop from my back and land on the ground, pulling a stake and a knife from her jacket. They haven't spotted us yet, so she quickly ducks down behind another gravestone right next to me. Damn, but she looks good in steel-toed combat boots. Courtesy of me, of course.

The Slayer buzz is up and humming again, like an old friend that I haven't felt for way too long. We've got a hell of a lot of catching up to do. The familiar grin appears on my face when it hits my bloodstream, filling my veins with liquid fire. _Godamn, I've missed this_. Bouncing on the tips of my toes, I wait impatiently for B to give me the signal.

Her eyes zero in on the two huge, hulking figures stumbling towards us, her breathing even and calm. The tips of my ears tingling, I watch her slowly shift into a crouched position. She holds up three fingers. Then two. Then one.

Showtime.

* * *

I gotta admit it, I nearly run right into the first one. Has it really been this long since I used my reflexes? Their eyes are sewn shut, and that disgusting tongue is lolling out of the thing's mouth. Grimacing, I deal him a hard kick in the ribs and a bone-crushing right to the face, putting every ounce of force that I have behind it.

Damn! I duck under the return swing, confusion flashing on my face as the thing straightens up from my blows. What the hell?? That would've been enough to take out any vamp-

Whoosh! I dive again, tumbling a full circle before getting to my feet. Panic is constricting my chest, knocking the breathe outta me. This can't be happening. What the fucking-

The fucker lashes out at me again, almost connecting with my shoulder. I twist outta the way just in time, coming up to drive my stake into the fucker's chest right where the heart should be, making the best squelching noise I ever heard. _Yes!_

There should be dust. Why is there not dust? I'm standin' there like an idiot, wondering why the grass isn't covered with vamp leftovers, when the thing hits me. Hard. I'm catapulted three feet back, slamming into the granite gravestone. A flash of pain erupts in my side, making one side of my face curl into a mask of pain. _Shit, that hurt._

_What the fuck is this?_

The thing plucks my stake from its chest without skipping a beat, flinging it away carelessly. My Slayer buzz is going haywire, spiking and dipping and making me dizzy with its force. I wince and get to my feet, letting the gravestone take most of the blows. Strangely, my mind is calm now, like my body is on Autopilot. Concentrate. Use his weight against him. I sneak a glance at B out of the corner of my eye.

She isn't doin' much better. The thing doesn't even bother to block her blows, just takes them and throws a punch every now and then to keep her off balance. They spar all across the graveyard, flipping off of gravestones and reducing more than a few into stone dust. Then B trips on my fallen stake and stumbles, letting the thing get in a lucky shot to her face.

She doesn't get back up.

Suddenly I flash back to Sunnyhell, the terror I felt when she fell to the ground and I thought she'd never get up again.

"_Hold the line."_

I see red.

A wordless snarl rips itself out of my throat as I leap on him, my fist a blur as it connects with his nose and breaks it with a sickening crunch. He reels back, making hissing noises and clawing at his face. While he's occupied I turn to the other one, venting my fury on the demon until his face is a bloody mass of flesh. Teeth bared, I stab him in the neck so hard I feel the bones snap. The fountain of bright yellow blood is cut off abruptly as I kick the body away from me.

A screech makes me whirl around. B's pinned the other one to the ground and is driving his face into the dirt, feeling around in the grass. I slip another blade out of my boot and throw it to her. She slays him without hesitation.

* * *

Silence.

My hands are shaking like fall leaves in the wind, trembling no matter how hard I try to make them stop. The pain in my side has faded into a numb throbbing, but I barely notice it. I stare at the sickly yellow grass, in the same position I've been in for the last five minutes. Time seems to pass in beats.

_Pulse._

What in hell just happened?

B is the first one to move.

She stumbles over to me, kinda limping on one leg.

"Faith?"

_Pulse._

Her voice is tentative and scratchy.

"C'mon, Faith. The others." Dimly I remember. Oh, yeah. The other Slayers are out here tonight too.

"We've got to go find them."

_Pulse._

I turn around slowly, looking at B. A nasty bruise is blooming along her cheek and there's definitely going to be a shiner there in the morning. She's holding herself stiffly and her lips are pursed. She's in pain.

"Fai-"

I have her in my arms in a heartbeat, my breath coming in ragged breaths as I fight not to let the tears come. _Fuck. Fuckfuckfuck._ My arms are still trembling, cuz I need to clutch her to me so bad, to feel her warm body against mine and know that she's still here, and with me. _Godamnit._ Swallowing back the urge is the hardest thing that I've ever done.

"B-Buffy." The word comes out hoarse and raw, and I can't fucking believe it's my voice. The fear of saying something incredibly stupid right now is keeping me back from spilling my heart out to her, to let my every wall down and just make her feel how fucking scared I am.

She understands.

"I love you." Just when I think we've all but worn out the words, it still seems like the first time.

Her arms find their way into familiar places around my body, and she holds me until I stop shaking. Little pearly drops of blood are forming on my lips where I bit them, but the copper tang of it against my tongue is enough to help me get my act together.

"You saved my life, you know." Damned if B isn't close to tears too. She grins through the sheen of drops and scuffs the ground with a toe, wiping the yellow goo off the steel.

I crack a smile.

"My pleasure."

She smiles back, and despite the bruises, her face still makes me melt.

I'm so goddamned happy, I can't think straight.

Good thing I don't really have to right now.

Because it's instinct, the way I know her lips will be right there if I close my eyes and lean forward into a kiss. Like it's something I was born to do, created to do, the way she fits perfectly into my body like nobody else ever has. Maybe it's because we're both Slayers. Maybe not. It doesn't matter.

Because no one understand this the way she does. Hell, we just almost got our asses handed to us on a silver platter by those- those _things. _See, more evidence why we're both still not thinking straight. I realize that we probably should be panicking. We should be fucking terrified.

All I'm really thinking of right now is the fact that she changed her chapstick from strawberry to cherry.

Haha.

* * *

A glittery pair of eyes watches from the safety of the bushes. Her eyes are sewn shut by thick, dirty thread, the skin partly grown over the rents in the flesh. A cracked slant across her face can only be a hint of a smile, but the cruelty and the wickedness on her face is enough to chill the blood of the most hardened criminal. A clay eye lays in her palm, the pupil of the darkest obsidian. It zeroes in on the couple in the graveyard.

Far underground, someone laughs.

"Well, this is an interesting development."

"I gotta say, B, even I'm impressed. What a coincidence."

"Now all we must do is wait."


	16. Chapter 15

**I think I talk too much before the story starts, so I'm gonna just shut up and let you guys read ;) Please review and enjoy!**

**WARNING: This chaper contains graphic femslash. You have been warned. And no, I will not pay for your therapy.**

**Chapter 15: Falling**

"Faith," she sighs into my ear, drawing little circles on my lower back with her fingertips. A grin spreads slowly over my face and I grind a little bit harder against her, knowing that it's going to drive her crazy and over the edge. Hey, she's not the only one suffering here; I'm about to fuckin' explode.

"Clothes seem pretty unnecessary right now, B. Why don't we…" I let my voice trail off as I nibble my way down her neck, blowing hot air over her collarbone. B gasps again and presses my head closer to her shoulder, entwining my hair through her fingers. She might've said something at that point, but it's quickly drowned out when I flip open the button on her jeans with one hand, letting the other gently glide down her thigh and stop right before it gets to where I know she wants it.

"Didn't quite catch that, B. What did you want to say?" I let my roaming hand stop just before it reaches her center, my smile turning wicked when her hips involuntarily buck against my hand. Yeah, it's a horrible thing to do to anyone, but I know she's gonna get me back for it later. Might as well enjoy it while I can, right?

"Ngh-Faith, please-" She twists around and kisses me sloppily on the mouth, tugging at my belt loops so we're stumbling in the general direction of her four-poster. _Oh, you are not going to get out of this that easily._ Before we reach it I trip B with my leg, pushing her up against the wall with a not-so-quiet thump.

_Shit, I hope nobody heard that._

Luckily, B's too preoccupied to notice. I pin her arms above her head, my lips hovering close enough to hers that I can feel every puff of breath she makes when she exhales. Fuck, if the hornies weren't already on full power, they damn well are now.

B's eyes flash open and we stare at each other in the dim light. Watching and waiting. Someone always has to make the first move.

I'm guessing that tonight, it's probably gonna be me.

I lean in for a slow, tender kiss, feeling her tongue slip into my mouth, hot and wet and wanting. My fingertips glide over her breasts, teasing the nipples until they stand out from the material of her shirt and B's gasps turn to raspy moans. When I break off the kiss to wrap my lips around the erect nipple and run my tongue along her breast, she breaks free of my grasp on her wrists and grabs me by the ass, pulling me up to crush my lips against hers.

By now my blood is pumping through my ears, charging through my veins and making my own center pulse with heat. _Fuck._

Yunno what? To hell with the fuckin' foreplay.

We're on the bed and tangled between the sheets in five seconds flat, just a big tangle of limbs and fabric and skin. I finish what I started, helping B get out of her clothes just as fast. I take a second to visually devour her naked body below me, my eyes following every curve and dip, the way her hair fans out over the pillow, the expression of absolute lust and passion on her face.

_God, she gets more gorgeous every second._

She musta felt my gaze on her, because she opens her eyes and raises up a little on one elbow to kiss me gently on the lips, leaving a lingering taste of her on my tongue. She pulls back after a few seconds and smiles at me shyly. It's the kind of look that reminds me why I fell in love with her in the first place.

_Aw, shit, I'm such a godamn sap._

I've always believed that actions speak louder than words, so I capture her lips in mine again, leaning her slowly back until a quiet thump tells me she's hit the pillow. Quietly slipping out of the rest of my clothes, I press against her again, not stopping until every inch of my bare skin is pressing against hers and I can feel her slick and wet against me. Wanting me.

It's amazing that you can want someone so fuckin' bad it hurts. My swollen center is fuckin' throbbing with need as I push myself against her, groaning her name.

"B-"

She gasps out my name just as throatily, arching her hips so her hard clit is bumping against mine with every thrust. Every time I gasp into her neck, she bites down gently on my shoulder, clawing at my back with needy fingers.

"Faith-Jesus Christ, Faith-"

She fits perfectly into my body like a second skin, the heat flowing so easily from me to her. It's like a connection deeper than the fuckin' Slayer connection; and man, that's sayin' something.

Our bodies fall into a familiar rhythm, my lips tasting every part of her that I can reach. The ecstasy builds and builds until I'm clinging to her, biting down on my lips hard to keep from crying out. Suddenly I feel her start to buck around me, feel even more of her arousal on my thighs.

"Faith-I'm so close-I-I love you-"

My lips cut her off, like they've done so many times before.

Then we're there, at that place where you can feel nothing but the most amazing feeling of completeness.

Our frantic grinding speeds up for a moment, then winds down until we're collapsed and panting against the mattress. Exhaustion crashes down on me and I fall next to her, my mouth against her ear.

"I love you too, B."

Her chest still heaving, she rolls over and rests against the curve of my shoulder, our heartbeats perfectly in sync. When we can speak again, I trail ghost kisses down her cheek, wrapping my arms around her cooling but still sweat-soaked body.

"That-that was amazing, B. I love you."

Just for good measure.

"I love you too." I've lost track of how many times we've said those three words by now, but they still make my heart beat a little bit faster.

I never dream the dreams anymore, never dream of anything but B. Maybe it's because she sleeps in my arms every night. Kinda like a lucky charm. In fact, I know she is.

* * *

_The next day...._

"Someone got a light?"

"Why, I didn't know you smoked."

"…I don't, Red."

The acrid smell of burning sulfur fills the air as B strikes a match, touching the tip her torch. It flares up immediately, casting a strange yellow glow on all our faces. I take a second to examine our surroundings. Gross, the walls are fucking dripping, and I don't even know what the hell they're dripping with. Needless to say, it's a great confidence booster.

"Oh, thanks, B."

"Don't mention it." She says tersely, cautiously advancing forward into the darkness. We fall in line behind her, every footstep echoing through the hollow cavern. Red's making these strangled little noises in the back of her throat every time something skitters from ahead in this dank tunnel. I tell you, I'm not feeling too hot either. The very air seems so fuckin' slimy, and no matter how hard I scrub at my skin I can't get the feeling off of my body. First thing to do when we get out of this fuckin place: Take a shower.

"Who the hell would wanna live here?"

"Language, Faith!"

A puff of hot air hits the back of my neck, startling the hell outta me.

"Geez, Buffy, I'm not twelve anymore! Sheesh!"

"Well, you sure still act like it."

A swath of brown hair hits me again from behind like a whiplash as Dawn whirls around.

"I don't need your input, Kennedy. Maybe you should-"

"Hsst!"

I freeze instantly. The only sound is the crisp crackling of the torch, devouring the oil-drenched wood. B holds it up silently, running her fingers along the edge of the wall. I wonder what she's doing for a second, then realize it's not actually part of the wall, only a sand-colored roll of wet fabric.

"This section-I don't think it's part of the original wall-" She shoves the torch in my direction, nearly singing my eyebrows off. I juggle frantically with the flaming stick-Godamn, it's hot!- for a moment, but snag it just before it hits the ground. My glare is lost on B, who's fiddling excitedly with the fake wall.

"Hold it up a bit higher, please." I roll my eyes and obey.

"Yeah, this bit-there's this little ridge here-" Her voice trails off into a grunt as she heaves on it with both hands. The wall makes a loud groaning noise and relents, sliding a little bit sideways into a gap in the wall. Through the slim sliver, there's light. Excitement blooms in my chest. _Holy shit, G-man was right! _

"Here, lemme help you." I pass the torch back to Dawn and position myself behind her, slipping my fingers into the crevice.

"Ok, one-two-three-PULL!"

The sandstone bites into my fingertips, staining them reddish brown mixed with the yellow goo on the walls. _Oh, this is so fucking gross_. I can tell B is pretty disgusted too, but she gives me a smile when I look over at her. It's miniscule and probably forced, but I don't mind. I make my lips curve up a little too, for a moment forgetting the goop that's coating my fingers.

All I've gotta do is think about something else I'd like to coat my fingers in.

Haha.

Still, it's only for a moment.

_Push, pause. Push, pause. Push, pause._

After half a dozen heaves and five minutes of wiping our hands on the stone floor, there's finally a gap big enough for us to slide through.

And then it's completely silent all of a sudden, only the panting of me and B ruining the silence. We stare blankly at each other, not sure what to do next. Tension hangs like a thick curtain in the air, and my hands are starting to shake again. Damnit. I clench my fists to make it stop, taking deep, even breaths through my nose. For the first time, I can't tell whether it's fear, adrenaline, or excitement making my body vibrate on high speed.

Most likely it's all three.

Aw, fuck it.

Taking the torch back from Dawn, I pull as much air as I can into my lungs and crouch, cautiously sticking the blazing torch into the tunnel.

Nothing but empty air.

I turn back to B, shrug, and toss it in. We all stare at it for a second, watching it flicker and crackle, straining to see beyond the dim circle of light that it gives.

"Is it safe? Like, with no toxic gasses like Giles said or anything?"

"Looks like it."

When I realize that we're probably going to stand here forever if I don't get a move on, I slowly slip through the hole feet first. My muscles are clenched, ready to pull back it something decides to grab me with its spikey claws. As soon as my body's mostly in the cavern, I stand, picking up the torch and motioning to B on the other side.

"It's okay, you can breathe and everything. Come on."

She gives me this lopsided look of gratitude and crawls into the room too, groping around in the darkness. Before I can say anything about that not being the smartest thing to do, a dull clunk reaches my ears as her shin hits something hard. I wince. Oh, that's gotta hurt.

"Ow!" She hops around for a second, mumbling curses under her breath. My eyebrows raise when I catch a few words. Damn, she has a pretty advanced vocabulary. Not that I haven't heard some of them before, when she's writhing beneath me and my tongue is licking all around her-

_Bad thoughts, Faith. For shame._

But I can't help it- I grin and thumb my nose at her in a completely immature way.

"Oh, who's being a potty mouth now, B?" I jump just out of reach when she makes a halfhearted swing in my direction.

"I swear, when we get back I'm going to-"

"Cut it out, you two. Here, who wants a flashlight?" Dawn flicks hers on first, handing out the rest until everyone's clutching a glowing hunk of plastic. _Ah, thank the fucking Powers for light. _Then my eyes stray from B to the walls of the room around us.

_Holy fucking shit._

* * *

The place is a fuckin' palace. Lofty ceilings, this ugly old throne in the corner, lots of tapestries and shit, the whole nine fuckin' yards. But there's something wrong about this place, and I'm not just talking about the way everything is worn down or broken. It's something evil, old and magicky and disgusting. That feeling I was telling you about earlier? Well, take that and multiply it by a thousand, and you still won't even get close. My skin is practically crawling as we speak.

Dawn clamps a hand over her mouth and dry heaves a few times, leaning on Red's shoulder. The Wicca herself is pretty spooked by the looks of it. Even Ken's looking a little green around the gills, and that's saying something.

B's the only one who isn't about to toss her cookies. She lifts her flashlight to stare into every nook and cranny.

"What did Angel say to look for again?"

"I dunno, anything suspicious I guess. The paper that the prophecy was on didn't give any specifics, only where this secret room was and how to get to it."

"Well, I'd say this was definitely the place." I break in, poking around the moth-eaten throne. It would've been pretty valuable if it wasn't, um, rotting. It doesn't seem like anyone has been here for eons.

"God, let's just search around and get the hell outta here." Ken mumbles. She lifts a tapestry and drops it quickly when a cockroach scuttles down the wall. I try to muffle my laugh, but it comes out as a snort that only Slayer hearing can pick up. So, yeah, she hears it.

"You got somethin' you wanna say?"

"Nothing, Ken, nothing at all."

Suddenly, the ground starts to shake and rumble, knocking chunks of rock from the walls. Before I can blink, it stops. I grab onto the chair just in case and throw a confused look towards B. What the hell?

"Okay, maybe a garbage truck rolled over us or something."

"We're ten feet down, Buffy. I don't think-"

Another tremor starts, and I catch a rock right before it takes my head off. Wincing when the sharp shard cuts my palm, I happen to glance at it before I toss it away. Without thinking, I run for Dawn and push her towards the exit.

"Get out of here, it's a trap, it's a-"

Then the world explodes.

* * *

I see a flash of blonde hair as B tackles us, knocking us out of the way before a boulder pulverizes the ground that we were standing on a millisecond ago. My head hits the floor and lights explode in my vision, making my head spin.

_Whoa._

Dimly I can hear Ken's voice, screaming at us.

"C'mon, Faith, Dawn! Buffy, what the hell are you doing??"

B. Oh, stupid, stupid, B. She's crouched at a hole the earthquake ripped through the wall, fiddling with something that looks like old, yellowed paper. I shake the dizziness away and grab a shock-frozen Dawn, nearly yanking her arm off when I drag her towards the doorway. Red, who's already on the other side, reaches out to help her to I'm free to go get B.

"B, leave the fuckin' papers already, this place is gonna collapse on us!"

It's true. I look upwards, and already I can see cracks in the ceiling, in the walls. Ken's voice is drowned out by the rumbling of the earth, but she's mouthing them so frantically I can make out her words.

_Get the hell over here._

"Just a second-got it!" She holds up this parchment with weird, spiky writing on it. I just shake my head and haul her away, missing another boulder by just a centimeter. Slayer speed or no, it's gonna be impossible. _We're not gonna make it. We're not gonna make it._

On the other end of the room, I see Ken throw us a look of despair before diving through the exit, right before the ceiling collapses on top of me and B.

Something heavy smacks me in the back of the neck and stars explode again, fading away into blissful darkness.


	17. Chapter 16

**Thanks for the reviews, it means more than you know :) Next chapter is up! Please enjoy!**

**I've pretty much given up that anyone will find one of my references XD (my fault really, even I couldn't find one of them) but there's one in there...somewhere.....**

**Oh, and I'm going to tell you right now that it's not what you think.....keep that in mind.**

**Chapter 16: Insanity**

I'm sitting on the pier, looking out at the navy blue waters of the Boston Harbor, dangling my feet over the edge. The full, glowing moon is hidden, thank God, by a thick curtain of rainclouds. Looks like we're gonna have one hell of a storm tomorrow.

I smirk and pull a bent cigarette outta my pocket and light it with practiced ease, blowing smoke rings at the clouds. By tomorrow, I'll be halfway across the country, on my way to the West Coast. Blue skies and fuckin' sunshine as far as the eye can see. Might take me a while, but it's better than stayin' here. Anything's better than staying here. Speaking of which, the midnight bus is leavin' soon. I better get down to the station.

Before I go, though, there's still one point of business to take care of. I dig through the pockets of my leather jacket, turning out a mountain of lint and spare change before I find it- a battered, coffee-stained Polaroid. The picture's one of those older photos, black and white with kinda blurry edges. The eyes of the young girl in the photo are large and dark. She's smiling, but somehow….

I glance down at my watch.

_Five, four, three, two, one…_

I touch the burning end of the midnight cigarette to the picture, watching the laughing face of a young girl go up in flames, dropping it into the cold, still waters before its completely eaten away. It sinks with a hiss, sending up a brief flare of smoke before disappearing under the undertow. The water laps at my toes, completely oblivious. I smile.

"Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me.."

As I get up and turn in the direction of the station, I take one last drag and drop the cigarette butt, grinding it out under my steel-toed boots. They clack against the gravel as I heft my pack onto my shoulder, waving down the bus as it pulls to a stop.

"Happy birthday, dear Faith. Happy birthday to me."

I sing under my breath, flashing a fake smile at the haggard driver before paying my fare and sliding into a seat on the empty bus. Happy fuckin' sweet sixteen, Faithy.

The engine roars and the doors fold shut. We're on our way.

I cough into my sleeve. Damn, I didn't think the cig was that fuckin' strong. The burning smell gets stronger and stronger, until I'm almost choking. _What the hell-_

* * *

"God, that is the most awful stench- it's not working, okay? Put that damn thing out already!"

"It is too working! She's coming around- Faith, can you hear me? Faith?"

Someone's shaking me by the shoulder.

Then I feel soft hair brush over my face, feel a wet cheek being pressed against my neck.

"C'mon, Faith, you can't leave me now. Please, wake up. Please?" She whispers them softly so only I can hear them. Her voice is so choked by tears that the words are barely audible.

I open my eyes.

I look down and see B with her face buried in my shoulder, crying for all she's worth. There's barely any light, except for a ray shining out of a hole in the wall. Whoa, that's not a wall, that's a fuckin' mountain. For a second I stare blankly at the blocked entrance, then at her. _Um, B?_

Then I remember. _Ah, yes. We were searching for this secret room and then something went kablooie and-_

_WHAT???_

I bolt upright, instantly regretting it when the bump on my head goes berserk, jamming spiky needles of pain into every inch of my brain. _Aw, fuck. _B pulls away from me, her mouth falling open as I cradle my head in my hands, groaning. _Goddam, what hit me, a fuckin bulldozer?_

The next thing I see is a rush of jean jacket as B throws herself on me, nearly throttling my neck as she rocks back and forth, saying my name over and over again. I can't tell if she's laughin' or cryin'. I smile and wrap my arms a little awkwardly around her, pressing my lips to the top of her head. I'd even pick her up and twirl her around if my head was feeling a tiny bit better. B isn't exactly helping matters, but fuck that.

"Hey, B."

_Really, Faith? The most goddam perfect storybook ending and that's all you can come up with??_

She starts to say something, chokes, clears her throat, starts again and…chokes again. A ghost of my former smirk appears on my face as I watch her struggle for words, running my thumbs along the sides of her face.

"F-Faith-" She manages, sounding like she's being strangled. Then she bursts into tears again and I hold her gently as she sobs. She wraps her arms around me tightly, yet reserved, as if she's afraid that I'll shatter if she hugs me too hard.

It's a nice feeling.

"Don't you dare do that again." She mumbles, clutching at the collar of my leather jacket.

I chuckle and kiss her silently, tasting the saltiness of her tears on my tongue when I run it over her bottom lip…

"Hey, what's happening? Is Faith still alive?" A loud, annoying voice booms out from the hole in the wall, destroying the moment for good. I roll my eyes.

"Yeah, sorry to disappoint you, Ken." A chorus of cheering erupts and B pulls away from my shoulder to smile up at me. She leans up and gently presses her lips against mine again, her hands reaching up to cup my face.

Before it can become more than a kiss, I pull away and place a finger over her lips. _Later, _I mouth, motioning towards the others. She nods.

"You're really okay, though?" She asks.

"Yep. Five by five, but my heads killin'me. What happened, exactly? How long was I out?"

"Another ambush. The rocks were pre-sharpened and I found some traces of dynamite too. Someone knew we were coming. You were out for about an hour, so I'm guessing it's about midnight now." Red says, and I see an emerald green eye appear from the other side.

"Forget about that right now. How are we going to get them out of there?" Dawn's voice.

I pull myself into a crouching position and press my face up against the hole in the wall. It's not big enough to crawl through, but it does let light and air in. Ken's face suddenly appears, her creased brow smoothing out when she sees me. She actually looks happy that I'm still kicking.

"Hey, Ken."

"Hi, Faith."

I'm strangely calm in desperate situations, have you noticed? While B hyperventilates, I work out a plan with Red and Ken.

"Okay, so you and Dawn will go for help. Red'll get her magic stuff and drop Dawn off at the house." I cut her protests off when she opens her mouth. "You can't help much here, squirt, and your big sis will kick the shit outta me if you get hurt. Ken's gonna stay here with us. Got it?"

"Oh, don't forget about these. I think that's what we came here to find." B carefully rolls up some papers and shoves them through.

"They better be. Goddamn papers nearly got you two killed." Ken snorts. B starts to tell Ken off, but I grab her and cover her mouth with a hand. Now is not the time for a Buffy lecture on the precision of language.

"Yep, Ken, you're absolutely right. Now, can you guys hurry up? It's getting a little stuffy over here."

* * *

Within five minutes, Red and Dawn are heading back the way we came. Still cradling B in my arms, I sit against the rockslide, lean back, and close my eyes. Fuck, I could sleep a week.

"This sucks, doesn't it?" A thump rings out from the other side as Ken sits. I can almost see the bored look on her face that she must be wearing now.

"You got that right." I groan, rubbing a hand over my eyes. _God, what a fuckin' great day on the job._ Suddenly my hand is removed from my brow and replaced with another one, softer and smoother. I smile without opening my eyes. B's lips hover right beside my ear and my breathing quickens against my ear. Before I can tell her that now wasn't the time to do the horizontal tango, we freeze.

_Boom._

"What the fuck was that?" Ken's terrified, hissing whisper pierces the dead silence.

_Boom._

_Boom._

"You mean, what the fuck _is _that.." I say, standing up. _Oh, shit, not another fuckin' cave-in. _My head spins for a second and B steadies me, the fear in her eyes too. Another thud shakes the cavern.

Boom.

Then I realize it.

It's not the sound of one big boom. It's the sound of many little booms. A fuckin' lot of little booms. And there's only one place I've ever heard that sound before.

Sunnyhell.

I can see lights from the other end of the room, bobbing up and down like lanterns. Or torches. Well, whatever's coming, at least I'll be able to get a good look.

Despite my outward calmness, panic is already rearing its head. My fingertips shake gently, increasing their pace as the sound gets louder and louder.

B notices, then silently slips the stake and a gleaming switchblade out of her pocket and hands it to me. With a weapon in my hands, my panic level starts to tone down a bit. Mentally, I convert it into adrenaline, ready for anything that might come charging through that corridor.

And come charging through it fuckin does.

* * *

I think I was hallucinating for a few seconds at the beginning. I mean, there could've have been as many as I thought there was. No way. We woulda been swamped in a second. Plus, they looked like those two things that me and B had such a hard time with in the graveyard that night. We wouldn't have stood a chance.

_Slash! _Well, they bleed easily enough.

I touch backs with B so no one can sneak up on us from behind. It's automatic, and we work together like a well-greased machine. Grinning faces, dripping tongues, rusted blades- they're all cut down like cardboard cutouts, disappearing in my haze of red. The knife is starting to get slippery in my hands.

"What's happening?" Ken yells, slamming a fist against the wall. Dimly I feel a sense of pity for her- she must be going insane on the other side.

"Figure it out!" Buffy yells back, gritting her teeth when a particularly big one decides to take a swing at us. Decapitating it with one huge swing, she mutters to me out of the corner of her mouth.

"There's too many of them."

I wake up from my battle haze long enough to look out. My stomach drops to my boots, and I realize she's right. But I don't panic. Instead, I answer her in the same nonchalant manner.

"Well, I never did think I'd die of old age. Hospitals annoy the shit outta me." I grin, giving one a good kick in the balls. He (I'm guessin' here) falls back, screeching. I kill him quickly and duck to avoid another one. Glancing upward, I notice stalactites hanging from the ceiling are quivering slightly, rocking back and forth, back and forth.

_Back and forth…hmmm…_

"Strange, neither did I." She replies, punching one in the face and knocking out a few teeth. I growl when one gets in a lucky hit to my shoulder and disembowel him. Turning, I notice B looking at the spikes hanging from the ceiling too. My head throbs in time to my heartbeat, reminding me that there isn't much time left.

"Hey, Ken?" I call, loud enough that I'm sure she'd hear over the noise of the fight.

"What?" She screams, terrified.

"Do ya still have the signal flares G-man made you bring?" I yell, yelping when my stake is knocked out of my hand. _Goddamnit._

There's a pause.

"Yeah, I've got them!"

"Fire them in here!"

"What the fuck??!- it'll bring the ceiling down-" Her voice trails off as she realizes what I want her to do. I let a mirthless smile spread over my face, twitching so my shoulder bumps with B's. I'm vaguely sad for a moment. But for only a moment.

"Kennedy, I'm not going to ask you again. Fire the flares!" She orders, moving to the side slightly so the flares will hit the ceiling at just the right angle. I fall back a little, letting even more of the things enter the already crowded room. Hell, if I'm gonna die, I'm gonna take out as many of them as I can.

"I don't fucking care, Buffy, I-" I almost forgot how fuckin' stubborn Ken is.

"FIRE THE FUCKING FLARES!" B screams, punctuating each word with another stab at the roiling mass of enemies now surrounding us. Ken falls silent, and even through the noise and the sweat filling my ears I can hear quiet sobs coming from the other room.

"I hate you for making me do this." Then I hear the sizzling, popping sound of a signal flare being struck.

"Thanks, Ken. Love you too." I answer cheekily, winking in her direction even though I know she can't see me. Driving my knife into the heart of another vamp, I wave at the air to clear it from the dust. The burning smell of the fuse gets stronger with each passing second.

"I love you, you know. I think I always have." B says slowly, smiling at me a little sadly. No tears.

"Thanks, B. I love you too." I smirk at her and we bump fists quickly before throwing ourselves into the fray, using every last weapon we have; knives, fists, feet, stakes- it doesn't matter.

Then the first flare comes zinging into the room, exploding against the ceiling.

* * *

Madness. Just a hissing, boiling chaos. An inhuman scream explodes from their throats as the first few stalactites come crashing down, impaling some, crushing others. I roll and dodge and duck, missing a few by only a few centimeters.

Throb. Throb. Throb.

_all the faces, everyone, the Mayor, my parents-_

Every sense is on overload, and I'm moving by pure instinct, a blur of earth and stone and blood and-

B.

_I can't see her, I can't find her-_

The second flare enters the room, and for a moment it's the prettiest sight I've ever seen – just golden sparks flashing and melting and disintegrating-

I think I laughed then. Or tried to, at least.

Then the ceiling really does start breaking apart, and I find out what's it's like to lose your sanity completely, even if it's for only a second.

Insane giggling.

But then I have no more time to think, because then the world seems to flip completely inside out and my body is suddenly slammed into an unyielding surface of rock-


	18. Chapter 17

**I've been the most horrible author ever, and I really apologize for not updating in ALMOST THREE WEEKS! :( Yikes. Again, I apologize and I hope I can win you guys back over!**

**On other news, you have my (profane) dissertation to thank for the lack of updates. I'm working really hard on it, and I think I have a good handle on it now. During my stay in hell, however, I had an urge to write poetry. If you feel compelled to do so, please head on over to , where I have an account with the same name. If morbid poetry tickles your fancy, please check it out :)**

**Oh, and I made the softball team! Joy! :) But practicing two hours a night and running suicides after? Kinda makes me wanna curl up under the covers and die. XD **

**Then I awoke to the fact that I've been neglecting you and typed this chapter up in a huge hurry. Also, I switched the format up a bit for a breath of fresh air! Should I continue like this?**

**Anyway, I can promise you that unless my computer breaks down, it will never be this long again. Cross my heart and hope to die. From now on, chapters will be shorter (like, 1500 words short) but will come with more frequency so you guys won't have to go another three weeks with no updates.**

**Sex scene next chapter! I think I'm ready to tackle the matter once again ;) Thank you for the amazing feedback! I seriously will never be able to thank you enough for your dedication! You are the reason this story still lives, and quite frankly, the reason I stay! :)**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 17: Warm**

Kennedy ran.

She ran faster than she thought she could've, ignoring the burning stitch in her side. Boots pounding the concrete, breath billowing out in smoky white clouds, tearing through the shrubs and bushes. The wind howled around her ears, like a demon trying to slow her down, trying to stop her from getting where she needed desperately to go. The Slayer cursed when her feet stumbled over a rock, blindly getting to her feet and pushing onwards, each pound of her heart reminding her that Buffy and Faith were-

_No. Not yet. _

She ran onwards.

* * *

Giles was woken by the sound of someone screaming his name.

"Giles!"

Within a minute, he was downstairs with the rest of the household, gripping the table so hard that the tendons on his hands stood out. Shock had paralyzed them, frozen them into crisp, unmoving statues.

"What happened?" Xander asked, fiddling with his eyepatch.

_Calm. Don't panic, Harris, don't panic._

"Buffy-Faith-trapped-bomb, ambush- have to help them-"Dawn gasped, a rattling sound wheezing from her lungs with every breath. She sent up a silent prayer into the air, begging to any entity that might be listening.

_Please stay okay, please-_

"We found the room. I don't know, someone knew we were coming and set up a bomb- Buffy and Faith are still trapped in there. We left Kennedy with them." Willow explained, a tremor in her voice betraying her worry. The redhead bit down on her nails to keep her fear from overwhelming her, flitting from face to face, searching for a solution.

_There has to be a way, a spell, maybe…._

Giles was up and headed for the door before anyone could stop him.

_They will be okay. I've trained them, I know-_

"We've got to hurry, there can't be much time-"

As his hand reached for the doorknob, it was suddenly smashed down by a frantic whirlwind.

"What the bloody-" Giles's face turned an alarming white as he stared as Kennedy, taking in the tear tracks and her bloodshot eyes. Confusion spreads across his features, to be replaced quickly by disbelief.

_No…_

"Kennedy-I thought you stayed behind-" Dawn's voice broke at the end of the sentence, and she tore fiercely at her mouth to keep the scream in check.

_No! No, no-this can't be happening-_

Kennedy bowed her head and something drops from her limp hands to clatter loudly on the floor.

It's the burnt-out shell of a signal flare.

* * *

I should be dead.

Like, literally. The first thing I see when I open my eyes is a massive slab of the ceiling, wedged in between the wall less than a foot from my nose. Careful not to breathe, I slide slowly out from under it and sit up, examining my body. Other than the usual post-Slay slices and bruises, I'm not mortally injured.

Ya know what? Nothing surprises me anymore.

Most of my body is still numbed from adrenaline, but the pain doesn't let me forget about it that easily.

_Shit, twice in one day?_

I spend a good five minutes feeling sorry for myself, letting out the occasional cuss as my fingers trace over the enormous lump I'm sporting.

"Fuck." I mutter into the air, my eyes watering with the pain. Think of it like a fucking fruity cocktail- there's the dizziness, and the nausea, and the feeling like my insides have been nuked in the microwave.

Something wet spreads across my leg and I bend the leg at the knee, hissing through my teeth when another shard of pain racks my senses. Feeling around in the dim light from torches that haven't been extinguished, my fingertips come away coated in a sticky red substance.

_Shit._

Starting and stopping in little gasping motions, I drag myself along until I make it to the wall, leaning against it for a quick rest. Panting, I survey the scene. The ever-present smirk appears on my face.

_Thank you, Ken._

At least a hundred of the Bringer-things are dead, twisted in grotesque positions or reduced to unrecognizable lumps. The whole room is covered with an inch of dust, too, so I think that's a fair number of vamps gone down the drain. A faint sense of pride wells up in me. Then I realize there's one body I haven't seen yet.

B.

Fuck.

I start so violently that my head hits the wall, and blackness overwhelms me for a brief second. Fighting through the haze of nausea, I scramble towards the last place I saw her, panic numbing the agony in my leg.

"B?" I yell, my voice reverberating in the cave, mocking me when it bounces right back.

_B….B….B…._

The tears start to come then, but I scrub them violently away from my eyes. Not now, goddamnit. A pain blooms in my chest, but it's not physical. I press my hands against the floor, hearing my heart trying to tear itself outta my chest. Fuck, this hurts more than-

_That's it!_

Concentrating fiercely, I dig down past the pain, past the dizziness, past my fear. Blood pounding in my ears, I search frantically. _Goddamn it, where is it?_

Then it seems like the entire cave lights up with a glowing, ethereal light. My laugh splits the silence like a whiplash as I savor the familiar buzz through my veins. The Slayer connection, the one that only B and me share.

_She's alive._

I fall back against the wall, relief washing over me in waves. As the euphoria wears off, my brain starts to think again. _Okay, think. Find her._

Pulling off a strip of my shredded leather jacket, I wrap up my leg with the makeshift bandage. Dragging away as many bodies as I can, my eyes scan the ground for a glance of blonde hair. Not a strand. I push and pull my way through the room, calling out her name. Kicking aside what I hope to fuckin' God isn't half an arm, I pause to wipe the gunk off my hands.

My breath catches in my throat as I see something else.

A trail of tiny, ruby-red droplets. Red blood, heading in the direction the demons came at us. Squinting, I can just make out a dark passageway. I don't see a light, or anythin' that tells me there's an end to the tunnel.

_They've taken her._

Without hesitating, I follow.

* * *

The faint glow of sunlight peers out from behind drawn curtains, dancing along the faded patterned cloth. Inside, a single lit candle throws an eerie glow about the room, illuminating the tear-stained face of a redhead.

Willow wiped the moisture off of her cheeks, forcing herself to concentrate on the spell laid out on the floor before her. Her glancing eyes skate over the various ingredients, ticking off a mental checklist. Kennedy is curled in the corner, her head stuck between her knees, her head hitting the plaster with every rock back on her heels.

_Thump…thump…._

"K-Kennedy." The Wicca says, her voice thick with unshed tears. If you look closely, there is a speck of black in her green eyes, as if her pupils were dilated beyond their regular sixe. Still, it's only a speck.

The thumping stops. Slowly, Kennedy looks up. Her eyes have a sunken, haunted look to them, like she's seen a ghost. Maybe, in her mind, she has.

Willow turns back to her spell, forcing a breath of air into her lungs. _This is it._ Striking a match, she lights the two candles before her and begins to chant rhythmically, an invisible wind ruffling the pages of the book in from of her. A small tingle shoots through her fingertips and she jumps, feeling her heartbeat flutter in her chest.

_Get a grip, Rosenberg. A locator spell. Just a locator spell. _She mentally chided herself, ordering her stomach to quit turning over.

It didn't.

She concentrates fiercely and lets the magic wash over her in waves, pushing every ounce of hope she has into the Latin, channeling the words like the coven had taught her.

Her fingertips found the two articles of clothing spread on the floor.

A tight red T-shirt that had belonged to Faith. A slim, sheer blue scarf that had been Buffy's favorite. Slowly they began to unravel, each thread untangling itself from the others to slide with increasing sureness over the carpeted floor. Red weaves into blue, intertwining like lustful lovers, merging into one thread. They crawl out from under Willow's watchful gaze to re-knit themselves into a pattern.

A familiar pattern.

Willow had often wondered how so many vamps seemed to know each other. How they seemed to always know those perfectly stylized kung-fu moves. How Spike had managed to get (or steal, really) cigarettes and the like from shops and never get caught.

There was an effing underworld down there.

Tunnels stretched for miles, connecting graves and crypts from coast to coast, from Florida to the top of Canada. Most were old or caved in, but there was still a pretty big community down there. No wonder the demon bars were always overcrowded. Thanks to a pretty explosive end of the Hellmouth in Sunnydale, everything big and bad had flocked to Cleveland. Just the way Faith (and Buffy, to a lesser extent) liked it.

Willow let a bit of pride come, relief smoothing out her features when her eyes fluttered over the makeshift map. Yep, she did it right.

Then her eyes fixed on the tiny white ball she had placed beside her on the carpet. It floated slowly up in the air, hovering unsurely. The redhead held her breath, fixing her eyes on it, as if she could keep the ball there by sheer force of eye-power.

Because she knew what it meant if it vanished.

Then, in a smooth, graceful curve, the ball dipped once and fell with a thump on the map, pulsing gently with a white light.

Mission accomplished.

"Oh-" Was all Willow managed to get out before she collapsed into Kennedy' s waiting arms, sobbing into the Slayer's chest.

"Wait- what does it mean?" She demands helplessly, pulling away and staring down into the redhead's eyes, feeling the burning water at behind her own eyes starting to well up.

The grin spreading it's way over Willow's face is enough.

Rising from the floor in one smooth motion, Kennedy picked her up and whirled in her in a circle, briefly pecking her on the lips before bolting from the room, screaming hoarsely at the top of her lungs.

"GILES! Get the Slayers up!"

* * *

_Shit, how long does this trail go?_

I'm starting to get seriously worried now. She may not be dead, but anyone who's lost this much blood…

I push the thoughts from me and focus on the Slayer connection, willing it to lead me to B. The light of the torch helps me see a bit, but it's still fuckin' gloomy in here.

That wonderful thing called Slayer healing has already started to kick in, and I wince as I get that tightening feeling, like my muscles are knitting themselves back together. Like worms wriggling under the skin. _Gross._

A deep gloominess settles into my bones even as the buzz gets stronger, threatening to make me panic again. Gritting my teeth, I trudge on, thinking about B to fight it off.

_Sitting on the roof with her folded in my arms, watching the lights blink on and off, on and off…_

_Stuck in the library, making faces at G-man's back and collapsing in laughter when he finally notices…_

_The mischievous smile on her face when she steals the TV remote right outta my hand, sending me on a wild chase to get it back…_

_Hearing her gasp my name when the remote is forgotten and we're under the sheets, the heat of bare skin turning the room into a blazing furnace…._

Suddenly, I blink and look down. The trail of dried blood has stopped.

* * *

"We cannot carry her much farther." A hissing, sinuous voice growls, motioning towards the unconscious figure heaped on a filthy stretcher.

"You shall carry her as long as I tell you too." Another voice snarls back, moving to steady the stretcher. A chorus of heavy breathing follows it as the entire gang of demons bolts through the tunnels, through all of its twists and turns.

"The ritual isn't over yet- she must not be harmed until it does. We had orders." The vampire hisses, a faint note of panic entering its voice. The gentle crackling of the torches mixes with the thumping footfalls, traveling hard and fast. The two vampires are obviously the ones in charge, leading the pack towards their destination.

"The other one is coming, I can feel her presence- we must kill this one now! When will we get such a chance again?" The first one argues, rage tinting the harsh rasp.

The other one stops dead, throwing a punch into the face of the demon behind it as the entire line screeches to an abrupt halt. Drawing itself up to full height, it promptly snatches a shard of splintered wood from a torch and drives it into the vampire's chest, dropping the wood contemptuously onto the resulting pile of dust.

"Insolent fool, you learned your lesson too-"

* * *

Godamn it, don't you hate when someone cuts you off just as you're starting to get really fired up?

Ha.

That always pissed the hell outta me. When the bad guy decided to tell every fuckin' being on the goddamn planet every tiny detail about how they're going to conquer the universe, condemn us to a living hell, etc., etc.

It gets fuckin' old after a while.

But I guess I hafta be grateful this time, because I wouldn't have made it to B if the leader decided to rip that vamp a new one- right through the heart, too. I don't shed a tear. _Just another one I won't have to deal with._

But then I get a glimpse of blond hair snaking over what I thought was one of their wounded and the Slayer in me roars back to life.

_Go._

* * *

"Willow! Which way?" Dawn yells into a headset nestled over her ears.

The Wicca closes her eyes and concentrates, wordlessly pointing to her right. Kennedy nods and throws her entire weight on her foot, leaving a patch of black rubber on her pavement when her motorcycle tears out of the garage.

Behind them, Xander strains to catch up. A large number of backseat drivers are crammed into the truck, directing the other dozen or so trucks following them.

"Giles, is Team One in position?" Dawn asks, straining to hear the answer through the static and the nauseating heave of her stomach.

_Goddamnit, I'm totally gonna kill Kennedy if we make it through this alive._

"Yes."

Kennedy's eyes are narrowed at the road in front of her, driving in silence until they hit the outskirts, right above where Willow had predicted they would-

Right then, the ground starts to rumble.

* * *

Believe it or not, I actually thought some things through before running headlong into the rest of the demon army.

One thought was that even though my leg was healing up, it was still sore as fuckin' hell.

Another was that against such a big army, I didn't really have a chance.

But I liked the last one the most.

Wounded or not, I still had Slayer speed.

G-man would've been proud.

Before I know quite what I'm fuckin' doin, I've grabbed B by the waist and heaved her up on my shoulder, snatching her right out from their noses.

It's like a fuckin' James Bond movie.

But it comes at a price.

"After her!" A scream of frustration later, I'm running through the tunnels, with Cleveland's entire demon/vamp population hot on my heels.

* * *

"Damnit, not again!" Kennedy swore, leaping from her motorcycle and wrapping her arms around a tree. The entire ground was vibrating from the stomp of demon feet, getting closer and closer with every impending boom.

"Everyone get ready!"

Weapons appeared like magic. They waited.

_Shit, I don't know where the fuck I'm going!_

Fuck, this is going to be harder than I thought.

My ears ring with the cries from behind me, the tunnel shaking with the force of the demon's hatred. It's almost refreshing, in a way. It drives me to run faster and faster, and also ignore the fear that I'm running straight into a dead end. Or worse, a trap.

Suddenly, I look up and see a glimmer of sunlight up ahead.

_YES!_

But it's pretty far, and goddamnit if the fucking vamps aren't catching up. I can feel the muscles in my legs complaining, seizing up. Gritting my teeth, I readjust B on my shoulder, ready to throw her ahead of me if the fucking bastards get me first.

Faith the superhero. My Watcher would have a laugh.

I feel myself slowing down, even as the light gets closer. _Really? Fucking really? _This would be a great Hollywood screenplay. Any takers? I even manage a grim chuckle as the tunnel starts to end. They're so close now I can feel the wind from every footstep, and I swear that I just heard a blade whistle across my back.

But I actually just might make it- just a little bit farther-

* * *

_Kennedy POV_

The next thing I see is a body propelled out of the tunnel, with a horde of screaming _things _chasing after. A mottled hand shoots out and grabs the person by the ankle, trying to drag her back into the tunnel. My axe flies out of my hand and buries itself into the arm, slicing it clean off at the wrist. The resulting howl nearly blows my ears clean off, but I run to the figure, hoping so hard it hurts-

I see a head of brown hair. And then a head of blonde.

Then I see the ground, speeding up to say hello.

* * *

Cordelia prodded Kennedy's limp body on the grass, the expression on her face mildly amused.

"Hey, hotshot, you actually made Kennedy here drop into a dead faint. Good going."

Upon getting no reply, she pouts and mutters something under her breath, crossing her arms.

She glances briefly at the huddled mass over Buffy's near-identical body nearby, with much arguing and nervous suggestions going around. Heaving a deep sigh, she strides over and pushes everyone away, hoisting the Slayer up by the front of her shirt.

Buffy mumbles a little and shakes her head from side to side.

Cordelia cocks her head to the side, shrugs, and slaps Buffy a good, hard one across the face.

**Smack!**

* * *

I've pinned Cordy down onto the grass in a second, my hands _this close _to her throat.

"What the fuck was that for??" I yell.

"Calm down, Tiger. Look, it did her some good." She says, rolling her eyes.

I've dropped her in a second and I'm crouched beside B. Who is, in fact, coming around.

I need to give Cordy less shit about stuff like this, don't I?

* * *

_Buffy POV_

I'm pretty sure I'm alive. Am I alive?

Then I feel a palm smack me across the cheek. Even that wasn't enough to stop the world from spinning, but my anger flares up. Who the hell do those demons think they are? My hands aren't tied, surprisingly, and all my limbs are still there. Oh, when my vision starts focusing, they better watch their-

* * *

_Faith POV_

I'm suddenly staring into bright blue eyes. B's bright blue eyes.

I'm not sure who's more surprised, me or her.

Almost without thinking, I lean forward with a trembling hand towards her face.

Her hand reaches mine just before I touch her cheek, and her hand is warm.

_Warm_.

* * *

Giles leans against the van, exhausted but with the biggest of smiles on his face. The rest of the Slayers are crowded around him, awkward and uncomfortable. They watch the chaos beside them, a mess of tangled limbs and hugging and screaming and cheering-

"They'll run out of energy eventually, right?" One nervous Slayer says, gripping her stake with nervousness.

"Not likely." Giles replies, smiling at her. Quickly he herds everyone back into the cars, confiscating a few weapons from the more hyperactive Slayers. Then his attention turns to the throng.

Faith is gripping Buffy's arm, refusing to let go. Her eyes are fixed on the blonde Slayer, shining with something more than tears.

_Her face…it's indescribable._

He chuckles. For the first time since the new threat had been uncovered, Giles felt happy- not perfect, of course, but he had never had any real doubt that they would back make it out alive. He knew them better than that. He knew _Faith _better than that.

_After all, the good guys always do win in the end. _He smiled. It was something to live by, a mantra that he believed in with all his heart.

The Faith that would always shine through.

* * *

**Did anyone actually believe I'd let Faith die from a rock? :) I'm cruel, but not that cruel. Please review!**


	19. Chapter 18

**Hello, everyone! Welcome to the next chapter of The Reason I Stay!**

**It's been pretty busy around here, so sorry to all of you for the wait. This chapter was the hardest to write so far, but I'm pretty satisfied with it. Sex scenes are not my strong point, but hopefully I've gotten better with practice! **

**This chapter is told from both Faith and Buffy's viewpoints, because there are pros and cons to each. I think Buffy analyzes things and thinks a lot differently than Faith, so I tried to make a contrast between them. Hope you enjoy!**

**While I now realize Buffy/SMG does indeed have green eyes, they shall remain blue for the duration of this story. Thanks to meetwickedfaith for pointing that out!**

**NOTE: This chapter contains graphic femslash. Don't like, don't read. **

* * *

**Chapter 18: Heat**

I've always loved small spaces.

Maybe it's part of being a Slayer. A zillion generations of running around underground, creeping into tombs and graves? Those genes, however shitty mine may be, are bound to evolve sometime.

Anyhow, it's always held a certain comfort for me. Walls are concrete, as solid as you can get. If you can feel them against your skin and hear the thud of your boots against the floor, you know that they're real. And in a world where magic and all that fucked up shit messes with your mind, walls are crucial. Vital.

When I was smaller, I'd lock myself in bathroom stalls, in coat closets. More than often, it was to get away from the fucking bastard they called my father. Other times, it was just to hear my own breathing, to know that I was still alive and not just some misguided ghost wandering around with nowhere to go.

Then, as I got older, I'd graduated to elevators. I'd get into the elevator of the John Hancock Tower during the lunch break, stretching up as high as I could reach until the very top floor was lit up. Then I'd just crouch there and wait as long as I needed, away from my fucked up hell of a home, away from everyone and everything wrong in my life.

Later it was a sanctuary from my Watcher, when I was still a "new" Slayer and didn't know what the hell I'd become. A lot of my time was spent sitting in that polished metal box, my palms pressed against the nubby carpet, my eyes closed and breathing easy. That elevator was as much of a home as any place I've ever been to.

Well, except maybe here.

* * *

Something heavy lands on my foot. My eyes fly open and my fist lashes out, ready to-

"Fuck- GILES! Don't fucking scare me like that!" I hiss, letting go of his throat. He croaks once or twice, rubs his throat, and mutters something about retiring to Bedlam. The living room is dark and still, the sun having long disappeared from the sky. Shit, I didn't think I'd been asleep that long.

I sit up from my make-shift bed, rubbing the lingering sleep from my eyes. The distant microwave clock blinks a neon green _12:00. _The events of the past three days filter slowly into my mind and I squeeze my eyes shut, pressing the heels of my hands onto the carpet.

"How is she?" I whisper quietly. As nonchalant as I want to sound, a worried quiver worms its way into my voice. A memory of the sudden seizure she had when we were driving back here pops up in my head. _She's sick. I don't know what it is, but it's pretty bad._

"Better, I hope. Willow gave her some Wiccan medicine and she dropped off to sleep after that. The fever's still off the charts, but that might be normal for a Slayer. I've not come across anything like this before, from the mortal plane. Perhaps-" He trails off.

"Did they-?" My fists clench, and I swallow back my mounting rage. _If they've laid one fucking finger on her, I swear to fucking God-_

G-man notices and gives me a disapproving look until my shoulders slump back down.

"Let's not rush to conclusions, Faith. Maybe it was the trauma or the stress; we just don't have enough information yet." I sigh and pull myself to my feet, jumping the stairs two at a time until I'm standing at B's door.

* * *

I curl my fingers around the doorknob, turning it softly. My boots make no sound on the plush carpet when I walk in, a lump rising in my throat when I see B lying on the bed. She'd always been smaller than me, but right now she looks miniscule. Tiny.

_Fuck, this is so fucking screwed up._

The blinds are open, and the moonlight falls softly on her face and the curve of her arm lying on the blanket. If it had been an ordinary night, she'd be all giggly and shit, teasing my ass off for being such a fucking romantic. But now…

She's tossing and turning, clawing at her face and hands, little whimpering noises escaping from her throat. I rush to sit be her bed, holding her hands down so she doesn't start flailing. They feel so fragile, just bird bones encased in a thin sheet of skin. I grit my teeth in rage at my helplessness. My conscience is silent, the once smart-ass voice now gone. Even the anger is hard to hold onto, and I can feel it slipping away from me slowly, bit by bit, until I just feel…..empty.

I was never good with dealing with shit like this. Hell, I'd never had to. But now I'm sitting here at B's bedside, not knowing whether she's gonna make it through the night. It's a terrifying feeling, having no control. I can't help her; I can't ease her pain or make it go away. I can't do anything, and it's fucking killing me.

I bend to press my lips against her hand, my eyes burning with unshed tears. Suddenly, I get an idea.

I kick my boots off and let my jacket drop to the floor, gently lowering myself onto the bed next to her, wrapping my arms around her body. Her skin is hot, burning to the touch. I've got to cool her down somehow.

Moving slowly so I don't wake her, I pull off my shirt and pants, discarding them on the floor. She mumbles something delirious and wiggles closer into my arms, making me crack a small smile. Clad in a tank top and panties, I cradle her in my arms again, willing the heat to move from my body to hers.

Tears begin to leak from my eyes before I realize what's happening.

_I can't lose her._

A deep weariness settles on me, making my bones feel a million times heavier than they are. I'm drained. And not just physically, either. I'm more tired than I can remember ever being, and the weight of B in my arms seems like an entire fucking mountain burning a hole straight through my chest. Suddenly I make a frantic plea in my mind not to be a Slayer anymore. What's the point of it? We live, we die, we sacrifice anything and everything to protect a world that's just trying to kill us in the end. I'm sick and tired of it.

So fucking tired of this.

I swallow to keep myself from making a sound, and let my head fall to rest on her shoulder. Her ear is right next to my mouth, so I gently press my lips to the heated skin, starting to whisper something into her ear.

But then I stop. Whatever I need to tell her, I'll tell her in the morning. When she wakes up.

_If she wakes up._

Then I close my eyes and let myself fall into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

A terrified mouse scurries from its burrow, little paws making tangible pat-pats on the stone floor. Beady eyes darting to and fro, it sees the light and heads for it, increasing its pace until it's barely visible, just a small body ghosting over the ground.

It never makes it through.

Quicker than lightning, a hand shoots down and grabs it by the tail, holding it up to hear the frantic squeaking emitting from the small, quivering throat.

" _What_ an exhibition." The voice was calm but forced, as if the speaker was gritting their teeth while spitting out the words. The British accent, too, seemed out of place from the dark red lips of the young woman standing there, out of place with the crunching of bones as the mouse was crushed mercilessly in her hand…

"Faith" let out a hiss of frustration and flung the mouse away, not looking to see the little body slide sickeningly off the wall. She was surrounded by what was left of the demon army, pitifully few compared to the vast horde before. The mass was subdued, many nursing broken bones or torn limbs. Yet every one of them straightens frantically and winces at the onslaught of noise as "Faith" let out a roar, the voice returning to its recognizable accent.

"Two Slayers. Two fuckin' Slayers took out half of you fucking idiots!" Her voice rose into a scream at the end and the crowd shrank back, cringing with fear of the punishment. "Faith" was panting hard, her hands clenching and unclenching, aching for something to grab and tear to pieces.

"Do calm down, darling." "Buffy" emerged seamlessly from the horde to twirl a strand of Faith's hair around her finger, smiling. She began to whisper in the other's ear, and the gradual change was remarkable. The anger melted away from Faith's face like snow on a summer day, until the smirk was back with full force.

"When?"

"Soon. Very soon."

* * *

_Buffy POV_

My eyes flutter open.

It's early morning, and for a moment I just stare at the ceiling, my mind blank and wandering. Then my gaze falls on the arm wrapped tightly around my middle in a protective embrace. Faith. I stare at her sleeping form for another second before the memory hits me like a brick wall.

_Oh, dear God…._

Slayer healing has obviously kicked in, because my wounds are all closed. I check Faith over for injuries- she seems okay too. I don't have a clue how we got out of there without being ripped to pieces, but I don't mind. Not one bit.

I stroke the back of Faith's arm on my stomach, tapping out a rhythm of random beats. As expected, her eyes flash open and I'm staring into her hazel eyes, made brighter by the morning sunlight.

"Wha-"

"Morning." I whisper, my heart giving a little flutter when an expression of amazement lights up her features. She pulls me closer and my forehead rests against her chin, my arms falling naturally around her waist. Perfectly entwined.

"The fever's broken." Faith says, gratitude evident in her voice.

"I had a fever?"

"A wicked one. I was…scared." She tenses for a moment and I'm suddenly perversely grateful that she cares.

"But I'm okay now." And I am- I haven't felt this good in weeks.

"Thank God for that." She smiles and pecks me on the forehead.

* * *

_Faith POV_

"You saved my life." B says, quiet.

"So have you."

"We're even, then."

I smile and stick out a hand. She stares at me incredulously for a moment, then laughs and takes it, pumping my arm up and down.

"Nice doing business with you."

"Likewise."

B bursts into laughter and pulls my hand until I'm lying over her, propping myself up with my elbows. She leans up and rubs the tip of her nose gently across mine, laughing again when I make a face and try to rub off the blush tainting my cheeks like paint.

"Really, B? Eskimo kisses?" I stammer, to hide my embarrassment.

"Admit it- you love it!"

"Nev-" B grabs me by the waist and flips me over so she's on top, her blonde hair making a curtain that blocks out everything but her. I take a deep breath, breathing in her smell like I've done so many times, my eyes taking in every detail of her perfect face.

"Admit it." She murmurs, moving her hips slowly against mine. I feel her thumbs rubbing circles across the waistband of my panties, dragging me up so I'm half-sitting, half-reclining on the bed. I muffle a groan as she thrusts forward again, my hands sliding underneath her shirt.

_Fuck, B, do you have any idea what this does to me?_

"I have a huge craving for something right now." She purrs, stroking the sides of my face. I raise an eyebrow and give her a challenging smirk. If she wants to play hard to get, that's fine with me.

"And what would that be?" Her hands move lower, fingers gliding along my collarbone.

"Guess." And lower, making my breath hitch when she runs a finger between my breasts, on her way to my stomach.

"Would it be…something hot?" Down past my stomach, tracing curlicues along my scar.

"Maybe." She slowly curls her tongue around her finger, and it's all I can do not to lose it right there.

"How about…something wet?" I can't recognize my own voice anymore.

"You're getting warmer." She strokes my thigh with her wet finger, a wicked smile appearing on her face when a whimper makes it past my lips.

"Tell me, B. Tell me what you want."

"I want…" She's completely in my lap now, her lips hovering slowly over my ear. The tip of her tongue grazes my earlobe, making goosebumps break out on my skin …

"A shower."

And she's gone, leaving a very horny me and the scent of her still lingering in the air.

* * *

_Buffy POV_

As the door swings shut behind me I can almost feel Faith's gaze burn into my back. I smile to myself, knowing it won't take her long before she kicks the door down or something. It's not often I get the urge to play the flirt with her, but after all we've been through the past few days? Nothing of the sort could hurt. Flicking on the dingy fluorescent light, I take off the dirty, torn clothes I've been wearing for the past three days and drop them carelessly on the floor, stepping under the steaming spray.

The water feels like heaven on my skin, unknotting the tension that's been there for days. I give an appreciative moan as the spray beats down on my shoulders, beading my skin with little droplets.

Then I hear the door creak open and the shower curtain is drawn back, a pair of arms encircling me from behind.

"You were saying?" A husky voice murmurs in my ear.

I take a step back. She takes a step forward. I move sideways, and she follows. We continue the dance, innocent smiles on our faces, until my back is pressed against the slick tiles. The warm water runs over both of us now, but neither of us notice. It's a well rehearsed procedure, and we both know our parts perfectly.

Her hands run over the skin of my back, making my body shiver with desire. My tongue gently massages her full lips, sucking the bottom lip in between my teeth. The aching moan that erupts from her mouth only makes my lower body flare up even more, and I pause for a moment just to take in the sight of her, wet and needy, her eyes closed and lips parted. Heat pours off our bodies as smoothly as the steaming water, and not half of it is even from the shower.

My lips make my way down to her neck, gently biting down on the golden-bronze skin. I kiss each mark that I leave on her body, claiming her as mine. She's hiding powerful muscles under the smooth skin, but I'm never afraid. Never worried. It's a Slayer thing.

"Fuck,B -" Faith groans, as I slip a wet thigh in between her legs. Even though everything is dripping with water, I can still feel how hot she's getting. I love the fact that I've made her this way. That I've made her feel this good. There isn't another feeling that can be that wonderful, that perfect.

"Say my name." I whisper, the boldness in my voice surprising even me.

"B-Buffy." Her eyes squeeze shut when my fingers find her throbbing clit, her hips bucking against my hand. I let one finger enter her dripping folds, savoring the way her walls clench around my finger, wet and silky smooth.

"Fuck-" Faith's hands snake into my hair and she pulls me up and crashes our lips together, kisses that take my breath away and only make me thrust all the harder, knowing how completely into the moment she is. Every time she tries to buck away from the wall, I hold her against it with the weight of my body, feeling every little movement, every heartbeat, every hitch of breath.

It's as close as being one with her as I can get.

"Open your eyes." Her muttered order reaches me dimly through the shower, but I obey, so close to her that all I can see are melting hazel pools of lust. And under that thin veil, there's love.

Suddenly, I realize that she's close. So close that I can feel her start to tremble, her legs twining around mine and her kisses turning fast and desperate.

"Come for me, Faith." I groan. Her body trembles at my words and her nails scratch patterns down my back, perfectly in time to my now-frantic thrusting. Then the explosion of heat on my fingers, the sticky fluid that I can feel even through the hot water…

Her face, the sheer wave of emotion that seizes her and carries her to that ultimate high…

The moment when she always looks the most beautiful.

When our breathing slows a bit and the trembling has settled to a slow movement, we're right back where we started- in each other's arms. The hot water is beginning to run out, the spray seeming a little colder at my back. Or maybe it's because the heat that we just made blows everything completely out of the water.

Faith's the first to say something.

"B-Fuck, that was-" She tries, but I shush her with a finger on her lips. Her skin has that special tone to it, an afterglow that makes her shine brighter than anything I've ever seen.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

* * *

_Faith POV_

We slow dance in shower for a few, perfect moments. Fuck the fact that there's no music, or that the dance floor is about two feet wide and five feet long. Fuck the fact that you really couldn't call it dancing, as we're just swaying gently to the beat of our hearts. Fuck the fact that we stop moving altogether and just stand there under the spray, holding each other.

Fuck all that and everything else in our lives at that moment, and you'd have a pretty good picture of what we must've looked like.

And it was absolutely goddamn fucking perfect.


	20. Chapter 19

**Sorry for the delay- my computer just got fixed (yay!) and I had to type this up really quickly. Enjoy!**

**Chapter 19: Questions.**

**

* * *

**

"Let go of the box."

"No."

"Really, c'mon. It was funny about two minutes ago. Put the damn box back on the shelf."

"Why?"

"Because it's stupid and immature, that's why."

"I'm doing them a favor! I mean, look at their faces. Hostile much?"

"B, doing them a favor is offering to carry the fucking bags to their car, not-"

"Relax, Faith, it's not like it's going to kill them."

"They're at least fifty, B. I'm pretty sure one go-around is going to be pushing the limit."

I swear, the girl can move fucking fast. One second I'm hunched over the shopping cart, staring incredulously at her from under my brow. The next I'm grappling with her and a dented cardboard box of Trojans, getting strange looks from the couple standing a few feet away. I don't stop to wonder if they heard the little exchange – _shit, I hope to God they didn't-_ and wrestle with the flailing Slayer in my arms, finally pinning her arms awkwardly behind her back.

"Jesus Christ- stop struggling, for fuck's sake!"

"Get your hands off me-"

"Stop acting like you're five and I'll quit! Okay?"

I hear a groan and a dented cardboard box is shoved in my direction.

"Fine- take it, okay?"

I slip the box behind my back and slink away from the traumatized elderly couple, dragging B and the empty cart along with me. Out of the corner of my eye, I see security advancing on us, like they've done so many wonderful times before. _Fuck, we need to leave. Like, now._

So as soon as we're safe around Aisle 3, I ditch both the box and the cart, grabbing B's hand and bolting with her towards the exit, dodging employees and startled shoppers as we go. Past the Gardening section and through the display of paper towels, pressed tightly against the wall until we reach the employee exit. Into the parking lot, I scan the rows and rows of cars. They all look the same in the midmorning sunlight- a fucking bright shade of blindness.

_Godamnit, which fucking one is it?_

"Go, go, go!" B hisses in my ear, pointing. We're going so fast we almost make a dent in Giles's minivan when we collapse against it, scaring the shit outta the pigeons pecking at the ground beside my feet._ Thump!_ The side of my body hits the hood and I roll off to crouch on the asphalt, one eye peeled for a cop. When none venture outside the store, I let my shoulders relax and lean back against the hot metal.

Turning my head, I glare at B, who is now flat on her back on the ground beside the car, trying to muffle her giggling.

_She is such a-_

Try as I might, I can't keep my own laughter back. And suddenly we're rolling around on the asphalt, getting covered in oil and bird shit and fuck knows what else.

The door slides open with a click and I look up from my spot on the ground. The look on Ken's face only sets us off again, laughing so hard I swear my side is about to split in two. B rolls my direction and bends down to whisper in my ear.

"You know, I'm pretty sure I didn't know what condoms were when I was five."

* * *

_Kennedy POV._

_They act like kids._

_Like they're not sensible adults with responsibilities and duties and reputations, for Christ's sake._

_Not that reputations matter much when you're fighting for your life._

_Shit, I still can't let this go, can I?_

_They deserve a break. Hell, we all deserve a break._

_The First's cronies are gone. Obliterated. Kaput. It didn't matter what they were anymore. And the prophecy had come true, right? Slayer versus Demon. Slayer won, Demon lost. The earth had met the sun when the earthquake happened. It all fit. The vampires, the rivers of red- Giles had agreed and better yet, cracked a joke for the first time in months. Dead and gone. Right?_

Yet somehow…

Kennedy wasn't convinced.

There was still danger here. Somewhere.

But she didn't let her thoughts distract her for long. After all, there was very real annoyance here, if not danger. Maybe that was tipping off her sixth sense.

"Congratulations, you managed to get thrown out three times in a row." She muttered, rolling her eyes to mask her inner smile.

"Technically, we didn't get thrown out. We left the store completely of our own will. Give it a few minutes, though, and- probably, yeah." Buffy stood up and dusted off her clothes, punching Faith in the ribs.

"Yep, B, we make quite a pair, don't we?" Faith grinned, leaning nonchalantly against the car door.

Kennedy huffed and grabbed Andrew by the scruff of his shirt, dragging him out of the passenger seat where he had been cowering.

"Well, thanks to you, me and Andrew have to do all the shopping again. For once, why can't you just act like you're older than thirteen?"

"Love to tell you, Ken, but that's classified; confidential information." Faith shot her a trademark smirk and Kennedy suppressed the urge to laugh. _When did she get to goddamn cheerful?_

"Well, looks like we get a free pass today, B. Meet you back at the house for lunch, Ken." Before Kennedy could say a word, she and Buffy were walking away across the parking lot, arm in arm.

She leaned back against the car, shaking her head.

"Well, at least they get along now." Andrew sighed, unrolling the shopping list.

"Yeah, that's an improvement." She replied, not paying any close attention. Now that her welcome distraction was gone, the thoughts began to return.

_Something isn't right…._

* * *

"That is the last time I ever let those two shop together."

Andrew sighed as he scrolled through the list, checking off the items already in the cart. Grocery shopping was a job that he despised, mostly for the sheer amount of food they had to buy.

It was humiliating the first time he'd realized that a) he was shopping for fifty Slayers and b) that the list was well over a page long and c) he was alone. With two shopping carts full of food. And still, that was nothing compared to having to ask the butchers if they sold meat in hundred-pound cases, making five total trips from home and back just to feed everyone for a week. It had been a horrifying, albeit hilarious, experience.

_Which is why I'm dragging a sullen Kennedy behind me this time. _He peered over the cereal box at the disgruntled Slayer, wondering if he should ask her what "durian" was. Kennedy was looking out the industrial-sized, grimy, high up windows with a look of longing in her eye, her hands gripping the handle of the cart with considerable force. Probably not.

"Okay, just a few more things. Toothpaste, toilet paper, and…durian. I think we should go-"

Kennedy jumped and shook herself absentmindedly, rolling away down another aisle.

"-that way." He finished miserably.

It was going to be a long day.

* * *

After an unpleasant experience with a cracked durian- which Kennedy described as "shit left in the hot sun and left there for an hour, then stuffed into a shell"- Andrew found himself at the door, out of breath and watching Kennedy slide the bags of rice onto the cart with more strength than a woman her size should have. He mopped his brow with his shirt collar- the sun was starting to burn more fiercely in the sky, it's rays nearly right above his head. He was hot, tired, and hungry- not a good combination.

"Ready, Kennedy?" he called.

"Yeah, give me a second." Breezing past the stunned cashier with a vengeance, she pushed the cart out the door and into the parking lot. As they scanned the rows and rows of cars, Andrew just happened to glance to his left.

It was Faith. And Buffy.

* * *

Andrew felt a dim wave of annoyance rise up in him; they were supposed to be gone. _What if security comes back?_

He began to take a step towards them, mouth open to start telling them off.

That was when Faith grabbed Buffy (who was already too close to begin with) by the belt loops and enveloped the blonde's mouth in hers.

Andrew's foot froze in midair.

"What the-"

Kennedy's hand snatched his words away and he felt himself being dragged back, out of sight behind the store. Together they watched in shocked fascination, eyes glued to the two figures now so completely wrapped up in one another it was hard to tell where one body ended and the next began.

Andrew felt like he should look away. This took the word "personal" to a whole other level, after all. But somehow, his eyes wouldn't obey him.

_Faith? And Buffy?_

Behind him, Kennedy sharply took in a breath.

_I can't believe what I'm seeing._

Faith's hand was almost certainly up Buffy's shirt by now, the blonde's mouth open in an impassioned "O". They were hidden- behind a thick concrete pillar, but Kennedy could see far too well.

_What the fuck do they think they're doing? In public, too?_

Suddenly, Faith untangled herself partly from Buffy's body and they two of disappeared, obviously meaning to continue elsewhere. Andrew stood stock-still, his body numb, mind reeling.

Kennedy wasn't as calm.

With unnatural speed, she suddenly raced around the corner and stopped short, eyes scanning the parking lot.

Nobody was there. They were already gone.

But when she looked back at Andrew, there was no doubt that he had seen exactly what she had.

* * *

When they could collect their thoughts again, they silently collected their groceries and made their way to the car, it was dead silent. The kind that seemed to hand heavy in the air, like it would smother you if you opened your mouth to speak.

Kennedy's thoughts whirled like a dryer on full power in her head.

_Why didn't they tell us? _and

_How long has this been going on? _and

_Faith and Buffy have a lot of questions to answer when I get back._


	21. Chapter 20

**It's been too long, and I've been a horrible author. I could (and should) apologize over and over again, but I really don't have an excuse other than a missing muse and FINALS. Gah. And based on how I probably scored on them, that's not legitimate either. But summer is here, my loyal readers, and I swear I'll get back on track!**

**As for this chapter, I apologize for any editing mistakes. They are mine, all mine.**

**I've tentatively mapped out the plot for the rest of the story, and it looks like there's going to be around thirty chapters total. Maybe an epilogue. Until then, here's a full chapter, no strings attached! Flame away!**

**P.S. Anyone else hear of the Buffy 30-hour marathon this summer? SO EXCITED.**

* * *

**Chapter 20: Scythe**

Buffy stood alone in the center of the room, eyeing the weapon racks surrounding her. She tapped her chin gently with one hand, running the other along the gleaming steel and chrome adorning the walls. The new room was considerably larger than the previous one in Sunnydale and much better organized; yet there was even less room to move around than before. The Council's guilt money had definitely gone to good use- they lacked nothing, not even the newest inventions that Giles managed to dig up.

Buffy's fingers curled around the rubber handle of a semi-automatic, eyebrows scrunching as she read the label. A small wooden stake not much bigger than a toothpick clattered onto the floor.

_Guns that shoot stakes? Really, Giles? _

For someone who despised technology with all his bookworm heart, he sure was trying too hard.

With a grunt of frustration, Buffy pushed aside the racks and opened a well-worn cabinet, its oak surface scarred with use and careless cleanup. It was practically the only thing she had convinced Giles to She smiled wickedly as she pulled out a regular wooden stake, twirling it in a lazy circle. It felt perfectly suited to her hand.

"Much better."

Evidently, it didn't take much to keep her satisfied.

But then again….

In the very farthest corner of the room, behind all the cobwebs and dirt that had gathered during months of neglect, there stood a metal locker. Opening the lock with one good wrench, Buffy opened the door and smiled, reaching out a hand to stroke the shining red surface of the Scythe. It was far too flashy to use as a weapon, not that Faith had ever tried to convince her to.

_Ah, Faith…_

Buffy smiled and ran her hand down the curve of the blade, relishing the hum of power that kept it alive. It was a connection. To the Slayer line, to magic, even to Sunnydale, as much as she hated to admit it. More importantly, it was her connection to Faith, something older even than the Slayer connection. They were fated to be linked since the beginning of Fate. They were special. They had a bond. They were the Chosen Two.

Mentally, she chided herself for her thoughts.

"You're getting soft, Slayer."

Buffy closed the cabinet and relocked it, leaning against the wall to look outside the dingy window. Summer had finally decided to appear, and it showed- the

She was never one to believe in soul mates. But she and Faith were made of the same energy, the same spark that no other Slayer had. Buffy was cautious; Faith was impulsive. Buffy was the serious one; Faith was recklessly wild. Buffy was learning how to take more control; Faith was moving in the opposite direction. They balanced each other out. They made sense. They fit.

"And you need to take the stakes to the Slayers." She mumbled, shaking herself. Grabbing them, she took one step before her danger sense went haywire, buzzing like a hornet in the back of her mind.

* * *

Suddenly the room's temperature plummeted. Frost flowers exploded on the windows, freezing into ice as the window slammed closed. At almost the same instant Buffy dropped the stakes and leapt for the open door,

Crash!

Her fingernails nearly gouged scars in the metal as her body smashed into the door, a split second too late. Her brow creased in confusion,

Buffy slammed a fist into the metal door, then another and another, until the contact made the room ring with vibratations. It quivered a little under the Slayer's powerful blows, but didn't yield. _Of course, Giles would make sure this room was well protected-_

Furious, she grabbed for the handle and yanked, the doorknob coming off in her hand. The metal was so cold it seared her skin, making her drop it with a clang on the floor. She cursed under her breath, fighting down the welling panic inside her gut.

"Fuck."

An idea bloomed in her mind and she turned to look at the thermostat on the wall.

It was unchanged, the mercury steadily balanced at eighty degrees.

The sun shone dimly on through the frost-covered window, unwittingly bright and cheery.

_It's all in your head, Slayer. Get a grip on yourself._

But the cold felt real. So real, in fact, that Buffy reached for the fallen doorknob again, forcing herself to clutch it until her knuckles turned porcelain white with cold. When she couldn't take it anymore and let go, it took a while to get feeling back into her fingers.

_So real._

Without warning, the lightbulb hanging from the ceiling began to sway slowly, back and forth and back and forth. It flickered on and off in time to the swinging, a steady click-click reaching the Slayer's sensitive ears.

_Back and forth. On and off. Click-click-click._

And then there was suddenly an ominous prescence in the room, a tingling, rippling quality in the air that Buffy knew all too well.

Her danger sense spiked and she spun around to face the air behind her. The room was empty. She was alone.

But there was something there, still…

Forcing herself to adopt a nonchalant expression, she leaned back against a wall and picked at a hangnail, speaking aloud to the still air.

"A swinging lightbulb? Really? You demon types really are getting creative, aren't you?"

"Ah, your tongue is sharp as ever, my dear."

The low, chuckled reply startled her and she was instantly alert, one hand clutching a recovered stake. The cold once again bit into her palm, but she barely noticed. The blood began to pound in her ears, drowning out all noise but the thump-thump of her own heart.

"A bit cocky, are you?" Buffy drawled, gripping and re-gripping the stake.

_Enough of this._

"Show yourself!" She yelled, involuntarily loosing her cool for a second.

The deep rumble of laughter came again. Then there was a noise that sounded suspiciously like a sigh, and then-

"As you wish."

Buffy blinked once.

Her eyes were drawn towards the stomach of the figure before her, body rent with a gaping, bloody slash that was leaking droplets of crimson blood onto the floor.

"Hello, Buffy." said the Slayer, smiling at her with innocent, baby blue eyes.

* * *

Buffy felt sick.

Her stomach turned and an overwhelming feeling of pure nausea crashed over her, knocking the breath from her lungs and the blood from her face.

_No, this can't be happening-this-_

_The First is back._

A flash exploded before her eyes and she was suddenly back in California, back in Sunnydale, back in the Hellmouth…

_The touch of the First Slayer and the vision-_

_Almost losing to the Turok-Han-_

_The Potentials-_

_Faith coming back to me-_

_The Scythe and Willow's spell-_

_Amanda and Molly and Jonathan and-_

_Spike._

Her knees trembled and she silently cursed her show of weakness. Try as she might, she couldn't stop the stake slipping from her hands to clatter on the floor.

_Clack._

The noise seemed to wake Buffy from her shock and she forced her face to set into hard lines, forced herself to look her mirror copy in the eyes.

She had never hated herself more than she did that moment.

"I thought I told you to get out of my face." Her voice could have cut diamonds, the words gritted out from behind clenched teeth. The cold was all but forgotten as rage made Buffy's blood start to burn, feeding the festering hate in her stomach.

"Tsk, tsk. Getting a little elevated, are we?" The demon slowly walked towards her, the combat boots she was wearing making no sound as they hit the floor. Her tongue seemed too large for her mouth- she wasn't sure whether the words that would come out of it could form a sentence, let alone a witty comeback. So she kept it shut.

She just snarled in reply, helpless anger making her vision start to blur and sting her eyes.

Or maybe it wasn't just anger.

"Aw. Did I make the mighty Slayer cry?" "Buffy" uttered a high-pitched giggle that sounded completely out of place in normal Buffy's calm, tempered voice. "How careless of me. I must say, I was hoping for-hmm, how shall I put this? A bit more composure from the human that managed to defeat the First."

_What?_

The demon did a double take at Buffy's confused expression.

"What's this? You didn't know? Oh, allow me the pleasure of repeating myself." It dropped Buffy's voice into a low whisper. "The First won't be bothering you for a millennia or two, maybe more. I must commend you on a task well done."

"Who the hell are you, then, if you're not the First?" Buffy asked, fists still clenched at her sides.

Demon Buffy tapped her chin.

"Hmm, I'm afraid I can't tell you that. You'll have to find out for yourself."

Buffy forced out a terse laugh.

"So you're just another rogue wannabe, hanging around waiting for some Big Bad to leech onto, so you can grovel and crawl at their feet? You're nothing. Get used to it."

Pink spots appeared on the demon's cheeks, and Buffy's form wavered a bit, like the demon was trying to hold itself back.

"Hold your tongue, Slayer, I have power that you could only dream of."

"I'm sure you do."

"Cocky now, are we? I wouldn't be so sure if I were you."

"Heck, if you were me, I would've jumped into the Hellmouth a long time ago."

Buffy scoffed, and the pink spots expanded on the demon's cheeks. You could almost hear the angry boiling, shooting out of the demon's ears like steam engines about to break.

_It's looking decidedly unlike me now._ She smirked slightly. The small movement caught the demon's eyes and they narrowed, turning into little slits reddened by anger. Suddenly it rushed forward and swung a fist at Buffy, but the Slayer quickly blocked it with the stake. The corporeal blow passed harmlessly through the wood and the demon stumbled, thrown off balance.

Buffy couldn't help but snicker.

"You think you're so clever, don't you, Slayer? Your scythe, your little spell, your oh-so-heroic bloodsucker-everything worked out perfectly for you and your picture perfect life?" There was a wicked sort of triumph in the demon's voice now, viciously present in the silent air. "You've done nothing to stop us. You sealed your doom when your witchy friend cast that spell, sealed your fate and that of the rest of this world. Think you stalled us with your escapade in the tunnels, hmm? Too late, Slayer! It's already begun. You'll die, one by one, and when every last Slayer is dead and you're the only one who remains alive, you'll beg to be killed then. The Slayer line kept us from out victory all these centuries, but no more! When you are all extinguished, _none shall stop us from rising_!"

The last words came out in a piercing shriek, piercing Buffy's ears so she bent and covered them with her hands, bracing herself against the onslaught of noise.

Suddenly, as suddenly as it started, it stopped, leaving a distant ringing in the air. When Buffy looked up again, the figure was gone. Melted away like smoke, leaving nothing but the dim memory of noise and cold and premonition.

But in the corner…

* * *

The Scythe was glowing a brilliant white, a heatless flame that threw rays of light all across the room. Even as Buffy watched, it started to flicker, then dim, then fade away completely, leaving only sunspots in Buffy's eyes to assure her it had happened. She took a closer look, but no-it was the Scythe again. The polished red metal, which had been so comforting minutes earlier, seemed dark and diabolical now.

She shivered.

Reaching out a tentative hand, she picked up the weapon and held onto it carefully. It looked untouched, but nothing was so sure anymore. Especially not the Scythe.

Buffy felt the missing warmth creep back into her skin and she waited a moment, relief soothing her body as much as the heat. But along with the relief came a sense of dread. _There was no way to confirm if what the demon said was true, off course. For all I know, it could be lying. I've heard farther fetched claims from creepier demons._

But somehow, she quite couldn't bring herself to believe her own words. She did know, however, that one thing was certain.

Something was definitely going to happen.

* * *

I stick a hand out to the fallen Slayer, helping her up off the ground. The girl mumbles a word of thanks and starts to turn away, hanging her head so low her braids are resting on her belt. She's on the smaller side and the other girls have been pretty rough on her today. It doesn't help that she's a greenie and still traumatized by the weird demon things we took out a while ago.

I casually lean down to pick up a snapped stake- yep, those are tear tracks along the side of her face. My tongue feels tied up all of a sudden and I don't know what to say. B's usually the one for the pep talks and comforting and all that, after her stint as a school counselor. Me, I just chew them out and send them over in her direction. I mean, they need to be tough, right? The vamps aren't going to have mercy on them, so why should we?

But I'm scared that she's going to start sobbing, so I awkwardly clear my throat and touch her shoulder so she spins to face me.

Oh, shit, she really _is _about to start the waterworks.

"That-that was a great first try."

She's not saying anything.

"Look, I fell on my ass a couple million times before I got it. So-yeah, don't beat yourself up about it, okay?"

_Strike me dead, she looks surprised. I'm not that fucking cold, am I?_

"Um-thanks. Really." I catch a glimpse of a smile on her face before she runs off to the house with all the other Slayers to wash up before lunch. Red and Ken are cooking today, so I don't follow with the same enthusiasm. Ken's inventions are always- a little less than gourmet.

Instead I head for the facility to look for B. She should have been back five minutes ago, but I know there's a hell of a mess up there. Might as well lend her a hand.

The door's unlocked, so I invite myself inside and head up the stairs.

"B? Hey, B, you up here?"

Then I notice the steel door swinging wide open. B always locks it before she leaves.

I'm up the landing in a second, rushing into the room.

On the floor in a jumbled mess are the stakes I asked B to get. And the locker where the Scythe was kept, it's-

"Oh, shit." I breathe. My head's already turning, ready to run for help.

"I wouldn't if I were you."

I spin around and come face to face with-me.

I'm leaning back against the crumpled doorframe, smiling cockily. There's something fucking _creepy_ about "me", like I'm throwing off this dark aura that seems to fill the room. And I'm not just talking about the blood-red lipstick.

* * *

_Clang!_

"Shit!" I hiss, wringing my right hand in my left. My entire arm is vibrating, waves of pain spreading across my knuckles. Already the blood is starting to well up from the place where my fist connected with the doorframe.

On the other hand, my double is also staring down at me, one eyebrow raised. She looks pretty healthy, considering I just drove my fist through her face.

_Shit, this-thing knows me better than I do._

"Really? I mean, Buffy caught on so much faster than you."

Suddenly, the mention of B makes the pain melt away and I stand up straighter, glaring daggers at the other me.

"Where the fuck is she? If you've touched her-"

My mirror image looks at me incredulously for a second, then starts to shake her head and chuckle. The sound sends prickles up my skin, like the entire room suddenly went cold.

"Holy shit, Faith, what the hell happened to you? Where's the badass? Where's the cockiness? Since when did you care so much about that-"

She stops dead and a glimmer of understanding appears in her eyes. Her eyebrows raise and

"I don't fucking believe this."

My mind starts to race and I tick possibilities off one by one in my mind, trying to find some other explanation for this. But I keep coming back to the one I'm desperately hoping isn't true.

_I mean, Buffy caught on so much faster than you._

It met Buffy.

It knew me.

Hell, it _is _me.

And it's the First.

But no, wait, it can't be the First. I'm not dead, I never was dead. Did I die without knowing it? Or is this Big Bad not the First after all?

Through my confusion I can hear the First still speaking.

"You fell in love with her, didn't you? You, of all people! I mean, hell, I knew you went for the hot ones, and I sure knew you were getting some kinda action, but damn-you're really in some deep shit now, aren't you? You're in love with the fucking Slayer!"

Goddamn it, I really want to punch the fucker's head in right about now.

"Shut the fuck up." My voice is low and deadly dangerous. There's the inner Slayer in the back of my head that's telling me to just block it out, just let it run off my back. Whatever it is, it's just trying to get a reaction outta me. The problem is, it already has.

I'm not going to let anyone bring up the past anymore, not after all I've done to bury it.

And I'm sure as fuck not going to let it talk about B like that.

"Looks like you're a little behind the times, whatever the fuck you are. Yeah, I love her. The question is, what are you gonna do about it?" It's a tone of voice I haven't used in months, and it feels fucking good. I'm a Slayer; I don't have to take shit from anything.

"Oh, I'm not going to interfere; your friends will do plenty of that."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Exactly what you are."

Okay, now I'm confused _and _pissed.

"We beat you once and we can fucking do it again, so you'd better tell me-"

My clone throws her hands up and roll her eyes.

"Why does everyone think we're the First? I am so fucking tired off-" She trails off and rubs her eyes like she's tired, then notices me staring.

"Oops, I've said too much already. And would you look at the time. So sorry to run, but I've got someplace to be. Nice to meet you, Faithy." She shoots me a toothy grin so much like mine I find myself smiling back for a split second, like I'm a mirror trying to catch up with myself.

Before I can blink again, she disappears.

Gone, without a fucking trace.

I'm frozen in place, staring straight ahead. Almost in a daze, I slowly turn and glance at the stakes, still piled on the ground. _There is no fucking way that actually happened._

But the stakes are still there. The Scythe is still gone.

_Oh shit, I've got to find B._

* * *

I turn on my heel and dash down the stairs and towards the double doors-

And right smack dab into B, who's charging into the house like a woman possessed.

Our foreheads collide and I swear that I get knocked out for like two seconds.

Damn, B really is hardheaded. Though right now, she's frozen in the same position as me- curled up on the floor, rolling back and forth, waiting for the blinding pain to fade away.

Which isn't really happening.

But then, before I can glare or laugh or pry my hands away from my forehead, the front door flies open, hinges complaining from the abuse.

"Faith? Buffy?"

Ken.


End file.
